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Home , Bib Fortuna, Cam Kennedy, Deborah Chow, Ezra Bridger, Greef Karga, Grogu

1 2 Edited by John Coxon, James Bacon, Chris Garcia and Alissa McKersie

Contents Editorial by John Coxon 4 Editorial by Alissa McKersie 5 Merry Christmas Art by Col Art 6 by James Mason 8 Halloween as Gateway Drug: This is the Way by Anne, Brian and Rosie Gray 10 What I Want: A Tired Dad And His Little Green Bean by Carol Connolly 12 The Last : Grows Up by Warren Frey 14 The Rise of Skywalker by Abigail Nussbaum 16 What is a Star War? by Hamish 21 The Mandalorian Panel at 2019 by James Bacon 22 Dark Empire: The Original New Trilogy by David Ferguson 27 The De-Canonization Act of 2014 by Chris Garcia 28 Is this The Way? by Ken Marsden 30 Thoughts on The Mandalorian by Journey Planet Contributors 32 The Mandalorian by Jacq Monahan 34 Razor Crest Build by James Bacon 36 Tattooine by Christine Burnham 39 Hedge Scout 40 The Mandalorian: A Personal Overview by James Bacon 42 Enditorial by James Bacon 46 Image Credits 48 3 Editorial by John Coxon

Hello everyone, and welcome to (possibly) the last with it. It is, at its core, a film in which most of the issue of Journey Planet in 2020! I pitched the idea issues that come up could have been solved if some of an issue of Journey Planet focusing on the sequel of the characters were just better at communicating. trilogy to James and Chris at the Dublin Worldcon, And, while that’s not an unrealistic thing to happen, it and then Alissa suggested expanding it to cover does make for incredibly frustrating viewing. The Mandalorian, and the result is the zine you hold in your hands! The ground work for this zine was The Rise of Skywalker is another movie I have a frus- laid earlier in 2020, with a spurt of effort here on 28 trated relationship with. I think Abigail Nussbaum’s December bringing this to you before the end of the review explores the flaws in that movie well, but in Twelve Days of Christmas. a footnote she notes that at least some of the flaws are caused by the relative lack of plot advancement Last time I wrote an editorial in a Star Wars issue of in The Last Jedi. Some were also undoubtedly caused Journey Planet the new show, Star Wars , by the untimely death of ; the question had just been announced, and I was super excited of how to give Leia a good send-off without actually about it, and wrote a big long piece about the filming one is a hard one to which I have no compel- Star Wars: Rogue Squadron novels by Michael A. ling answers. Stackpole and Aaron Allston. Having watched Season 1; it was good, but it wasn’t anything like the novels I’d There is much I dislike aboutThe Rise of Skywalker. grown up with, and that made me sad. Lightning that engulfs an entire planet. The fleet of Death Stars (because escalation is always Of course, since then, we’ve had the comic issue great!). But there’s also things I love about the movie, in which the name Rogue Squadron is conceived, and they are in some ways the same things that I and it has been announced (alongside All The Star love about Abrams’ turn with Star Trek: I think that Wars TV Shows) that Patty Jenkins is directing a Abrams gets the characters and the world so right, Rogue Squadron movie, so if you’d like to know more even beyond the plot beats that don’t quite land. But about my thoughts about that, you can go and read my of course, next time, might want to plan the editorial in that previous issue of Journey Planet for story in advance. my current thoughts on the matter. And then we come to The Mandalorian, which occupies Moving to other parts of the Star Wars universe, I a fair few of the pages in this zine. It’s fair to say that I think I’m the only person in the world who likes all was lukewarm on the first season; the serial nature of three of the sequel trilogy movies. My initial reaction the show has hugely appealed to many, but I found it to The Force Awakens was to go back to the cinema frustrating that Din Djarin was relatively undynamic and see it about on about six more occasions1 and to and there was no cast of recurring characters to play love the movie more every time. It isn’t a lie to say that against him to soften that decision. (Obviously, I loved it completely rekindled my love of Star Wars, after a .) The last episodes made me reconsider that a long period where I had mostly been a bit cool on the little, as they brought back earlier characters and wove franchise. them together.

The Last Jedi and I had a tumultous relationship. My The second season properly started to tell a story, with initial reaction to it was decidedly negative, but on characters that continued across a plot. The lack of repeat viewings I mellowed quite a lot towards it. I continuity again somewhat frustrated me, but the end think knowing that the film is going to be a story about of Season 2 makes me hopeful that we’ll see a larger failure—and a downer ending­—helps a lot with the cast going into future seasons. enjoyment of the movie. Equally, having just read the novelisation of the movie, I do still have some issues And of course, there was That Ending.

1 Thanks, Cineworld Unlimited! 4 Editorial by Alissa McKersie

As a child of Star Wars, I grew up playing it in the I didn’t want to have my heart broken. I finally feel backyard with friends. We played a myriad of charac- like these are the stories we’ve always wanted, like the ters from the Rebels to …we made up our own journey we have been on (especially with Mando) has stories. As it turns out, other kids did that too, and been one of lifelong adventure and imagination… some of them grew up to be movie and show makers. I from the eyes of someone who grew up playing Star can honestly tell you, I went into the last several movies Wars in their back yard with friends. and The Mandalorian with hesitant hopefulness. 5 Merry Christmas Art by Col Art

6 7 The Mandalorian by James Mason

Or “a franchise struck down that came back more The eight episode first season proved to be the main powerful than I could have imagined”. draw to Disney’s ambitious streaming platform and a second season was greenlit and then and I’m going to start things by being kinda mean to the new his team of like-minded creators got to work. sequels but not in a toxic way. I still enjoyed them to a point and they’re technically impressive From the very first episode the show went from having but after the promising start ofThe Force Awakens we a few cool Easter eggs to dropping in some major can all admit that things didn’t turn out that great in reveals for characters that we likely mused about terms of narrative. The Last Jedi took us to unexpected during drunken fan chats in the pub. It could’ve veered places for some beloved characters and that was brave badly into fan service but in the pacing and plot of the and also interesting in that things were subverted. show they were there for a decent enough reason. This The last act of the trilogy then veered back to more show won’t be known for it’s twisty shocking plots conventional expectations but also in ways that nar- but it’ll be remembered for hugely impressive action ratively made little to no sense. If you need to scour and visual flair. The Mandalorian has a pure cinema sourcebooks or “Art of” books then your script for the aesthetic that rivals it’s theatrical siblings. movie isn’t well constructed. I went to see an IMAX marathon of the new trilogy on release and despite Then came the second season. finishing up at 2am I wasn’t just tired from it being late, I was worn out from the rollercoaster of quality Gone was the short story anthology vibe of its debut in Star Wars as a franchise. Then came this show on and suddenly we were getting more than knowing Disney+: winks and nods to Star Wars mythos. In Season 1, a mere sound effect that maybe, possibly, could be Boba The Mandalorian. Fett was actually post-. But, not before they brilliantly feint, by having someone A show about a bounty hunter set after the events of else wearing the armour, after buying it off some Jawas. Return of the Jedi. Having a distinctly western vibe and Then as part of that little plot we get Boba Fett himself introducing a character that had everyone hyped but turn up to reclaim his father’s armour and when we ingeniously and very un-Disney-like was kept secret do, boy oh boy do we see some John Wick levels of by them foregoing any merchandising until well after Boba Fett kicking ass. “Baby ” took over Star Wars fandom’s mindshare. Season 2 may also have been a bit more “fetch quest” The first season was more of a grand experiment in that in nature of moving the plot forward but each side it was very focused on The Mandalorian bounty hunter mission/favour to get to the next stage took a new and his new quarry. And then forging a bond with The genre riff for each episode. The season premiere was Child all the while delving lightly into the history of more western and helping out the town from a creature and their fabled armour that seems threatening it. Then we got a more intense horror to be custom-designed to combat a certain “warrior episode on an ice planet and very creepy spiders. The sorcerer” called Jedi. Echoing with Mandalorian in his search for others of Mandalore a wild west frontier vibe. The show with its old school then happens across Bo Katan (an important figure in Star Wars vibe of lived in tech and odd alien charac- Mandalore’s history) who then lets him know where to ters proved to please the fans and in the case of a jaded find a Jedi called . Both characters from fan of the series (hint, that’d be me) I started to enjoy the animated shows and have massive implications for watching what was going on in this far away galaxy the series and Star Wars as a whole. Ahsoka’s episode, that I once enjoyed long ago. The Jedi, is pure Japanese in style and utterly gorgeous in how it was shot and staged.

8 The sophomore season seemed to have been not so The Mandalorian kept the overall plot simple and then much a slump but a massively ambitious and confident through some clever planning and placing of Easter endeavour. The scope widened considerably and so eggs we got to see some genuinely delightful surprises did the bringing in of more known and beloved char- that felt earned. I would disagree with anyone who’d acters from the original trilogy. If you thought Boba say that ’s return made any shred of sense Fett turning up was ballsy, then seeing who makes from what was set up in the first two movies of the an appearance in the season finale should melt your sequel trilogy. But when we get that reveal at the end mind. Skirting very close to be validly called fan of Season 2 of The Mandalorian it’s a surprise that does service but each appearance does make sense to the make sense. It does pose the question of how they’ll plot and is set up to appear in prior episodes. The plot sync up to the future of the new movies but they’ve got may not be Christopher Nolan-esque in being intri- plenty of time to address that. cately constructed but the foundations are solid and with reason. And I’ll be eagerly awaiting to see how they go make that journey. And seeing as Disney+ have greenlit The new trilogy suffered greatly from not having a real and gone all in on serialised Star Wars we’ve plenty of plan for what happened next. The characters weren’t shows to look forward to. Lets hope they show the same developed and some that were downright sidelined ambition and care that those behind The Mandalorian despite being set up to be more. The actors were all has shown us so far. game and tried their damnedest to help overcome the issues of plot and inconsistency but if the spine of the story isn’t there then we are going to get a flimsy mess.

9 Halloween as Gateway Drug: This is the Way by Anne, Brian and Rosie Gray

This is the story of how we came to make Rosie her for Halloween! How in the world do we make it? What own silver-and-purple-style Mandalorian costume at materials can we use? And, most importantly, can we Grayhollow Manor. get it done in time? (Luckily, the video answers the first two questions in full. The third one… well, we’ll Several months before quarantine and lockdowns, work on it.) Brian had started following a few crafting channels on YouTube. Specifically, crafting for tabletop roleplaying Had she seen the show? Yes! ...well, most of the first games: how to make ruins, produce attractive “scatter” season, that is. She refused to watch the last two terrain, constructing inns with playable interiors and episodes out of a fondness for . And what could exteriors, and the like. YouTube’s algorithms must we do? She had spoken. Despite some trouble handling have had a field day incorporating this whole new tense moments that threatened the future survival of genre, as all sorts of new videos started popping up in beloved characters, she still had a lot of enthusiasm Brian’s recommendations. about Mando.

About mid-May, the first construction video Construction of the helmet began with printing out showed up, and for Brian, it hit that sweet spot of “this the paper pattern, cutting out and then taping the costume type interests me” crossed with “huh, I think I pieces together, and having Rosie try it on. Too big. could do this” and “I bet this would make an awesome Second paper prototype. Too small! Third paper Halloween costume… for Rosie. Yep, totally for prototype: Juuuust right. (Well. Close enough for New Rosie.” Which particularly algorithmically tempting Republic work.) Time to switch to foam. Brian had presentation are we talking about? Why, Punished learned that craft stores are now all-in when it comes Props Academy’s “Let’s Make Foam Helmets! BOBA to cosplay craft foam, so he was able to just go to the FETT & THE MANDALORIAN” hour-long walk- store and buy what he needed for construction, along through on materials, shaping techniques, and how to with purple and silver spray paint and some fancy appropriately finish and weather Mandalorian-style low-damage masking/painter’s tape. Also needed: helmets. Worse yet, the channel creator (Bill Doran, EVA foam in two thicknesses (2 and 10 mm), contact who’s also written a few good introductory texts about cement with applicator brush, Plasti-Dip spray primer creating cosplay elements) for foam (if you want the included a link to a free PDF piece to last), a heat gun, a with helmet designs for both craft knife, and a variety of Boba Fett and Mando. Brian sandpapers. filed this one away for later reference, once Rosie started The heat gun was used to talking about what to do for help curve and shape the Halloween this year. foam pieces. All pieces were labeled and cut per the Fast forward about… oh, two pattern, shaped, then glued months. together (outside, to keep from getting silly on rubber Maybe? Time is wibbly-wob- cement fumes). Brian learned bly in lockdown. that sanding to final shape is best done after the Plasti-Dip Rosie is shown the video, and primer is applied, to avoid exultantly declares that, yes, simply shredding the foam. that is the costume she wants The helmet was then spray 10 painted silver, the tape was applied to mask the silver, and purple paint was applied on top of the silver to the front mask trim, center, and side pieces. The first attempt at the purple then had to be re-touched due to some dripping paint. Spray paint is like that.

Coming up on Halloween itself, reports were generally that trick-or-treating was canceled, but it slowly dawned on us that Rosie was determined to wear the costume somewhere; so we needed to come up with the rest of the costume! Anne dug through old college technical theater supplies and came up with a black turtleneck. Rosie added a black pair of pants and a purple hooded cloak that also once belonged to Anne, as well as a pair of black boots that they currently share. Is there a pattern here? Definitely. Some kids grow up really fast! Rosie is 5’1” and only 10 years old. She is already imagining being taller than her mom.

Then the main thing yet to go was a chest plate. At some point, the Gray Clan will return to complete Rosie’s Mandalorian armor costume out of EVA foam (maybe once she stops growing for a while!). But this We decided against going for the full dark visor insert, was not the year for that. So, with about a day to go given the initial application for Halloween. We wanted before the neighborhood socially-distanced trick-or- Rosie to be able to see where she was going in our treating was to commence, Brian grabbed the largest neighborhood, which has no street lights. For some flat piece of cardboard we had, held it up to Rosie, and arm shiny, Anne produced a silver-lined insulated sketched out shapes for chest and back. With the ever- lunch bag we could sacrifice, as well as some gray handy craft knife for carving, and liberal application foamish fabric. Brian hot-glued together shoulder of both masking tape and spray paint, a Mandalori- pauldrons from the fabric and attached them with an-esque facade was created. Hot glue attached some straps made of inside-out lunch bag pieces. cardboard belt loops on the inside of the armor, and one of Rosie’s belts sealed the deal. Rosie reports that the best thing about the costume is that when you have it on you feel like you are a Mandalorian. She also reports the following about the comfort of the helmet: it is mostly comfortable, but could be improved with foam pads on the inside.

The most telling response was that of the other neigh- borhood kids running around. Shouts of “Is that THE Mandalorian!??!” were heard across several streets, bringing many of the boys running. “Who is that in there? That’s cool!” Sadly, most of the local kids are still of the age where Girls Are Icky, so as soon as Rosie announced her presence, all interest was lost. But the initial reaction was so worth it. Almost as good were the adults who turned to Brian and asked how much it cost, then on finding out it was homemade, asked if he could show them how to make it.

And now the cosplay bug is firmly entrenched in the Gray Clan. Thanks, Mando. What I Want: A Tired Dad And His Little Green Bean by Carol Connolly

I quite like Star Wars. By many people’s standards I nothing except getting paid and moving on to the next would be considered a huge fan, having watched and job. And 20 minutes into the show, it then showed us read rather a lot of it, but I measure my affection for that wasn’t true. The reason Din’s armour and ship a story universe by how frustrated I get when it fails are so crappy, the reason he lives hand-to-mouth, is to reach its potential, and Star Wars’ constant chaotic that he chooses to give money away to orphans. From plot choices only made me roll my eyes rather than the first episode Din is someone who cares, although want to flip over a table. Until The Mandalorian came initially he is one step removed from the people he is along. It was something new and exciting, and then trying to support. The introduction of Grogu to his it decided not to be that anymore, and I am trying to life means he must change how he cares. As well as crush the urge to smash metaphorical plates. providing financial support and physical protection, he must also learn how to provide emotional support The Mandalorian showed us it was something different to a young child who, we later learn, has been very 20 minutes into the pilot episode. It started with a scared for a very long time. We see Din change from classic Western setup; a lone hunter who cares for staying mostly silent apart from the rare intimidat- ing one-liner, to someone who holds long one-sided conversations because that’s what a toddler learning how to speak needs. We see him take chances on asking for help, because his child needs a community to thrive. We see him move from believing he acts exclu- sively as Grogu’s bodyguard, to realising that Grogu views him as his parent. And with the end of season two, that story progression is gone.

Parallel with this revolutionary take on male rolemodels, it was clear throughout season two that showrunners Jon Favreau and also wanted to tell a different set of stories, ones that tied The Mandalorian into plotlines from previous Star Wars stories. I can see how that decision has made some dedicated Star Wars fans very happy, but not me. It looks to me that Favreau and Filoni are bored with intertwining Din’s story with Grogu’s, and would rather move on to the easier territory of people shouting at each other about power and symbols. And that is not something that interests me. I’ve seen it over and over again, and I am bored by it. I was enjoying a show about people trying very hard to be kind. And now that show is over, and that makes me sad.

12 13 The Last Jedi: Star Wars Grows Up by Warren Frey

Star Wars has always been about family, but for one As a child, Luke was always my favorite character. brief moment it was about more. While is the obvious mix of cynicism, dashing good looks and violence, Luke always felt Aging Gen-X types such as myself revere the original more real to me. It didn’t hurt that I grew up in a trilogy, despite its many flaws. Though that same age nothing ever happens backwater city on the Canadian group derided the prequel trilogy, an entire genera- prairies, which is like living on but with tion grew up on those films and hold them in a special snow instead of sand and trucks instead of cool space place in their hearts. The sequel trilogy aims straight vehicles. for nostalgia and mostly succeeds in bringing back that feeling of Star Wars while introducing a whole Luke is whiny and immature in the original trilogy new and excellent cast alongside out old favorites. but what he has that Han lacks is an arc. He goes from petulant farm boy to galactic saviour and finds out his But only one film actually dares to do something father is Space Hitler only to redeem him and defeat different. the Emperor.

For all the bad acting and pointless eye candy, the A sizeable group of nerds thought this is where Luke’s prequels do competently flesh out how a democratic story should stay once he appeared in The Last Jedi. republic tumbles into despotism. They’re weirdly They wanted the hero they grew up with, unchanging prescient of our present day troubles, as a grotesque and ready for battle. figure spins obvious lies with the help of a foreign power and somehow suckers the galaxy into going I was the exact opposite. The moment Luke received along with him. his from and tossed it to one side with a look of disinterest, I was hooked. All well and good, but the prequels ultimately run through a scenario we can’t help but know the conclu- I wanted to see what this film would do with Luke and sion to: evil triumphs, but hope remains. How they get I wasn’t disappointed. Instead of having a the saviour there is somewhat interesting but it’s also a foregone of the galaxy go through the motions or happily train conclusion. Rey in the ways of the Force, we meet a depressed man consumed with his failure and waiting to die on an The Last Jedi doesn’t do any of that. What Jedi does is island with only porgs and frog nuns for company. take your expectations, chuck most of them into space and make you look at things differently. It makes you Luke does eventually go through a redemption arc and think, and that’s why it’s one of my favorite Star Wars saves the galaxy, but the mere idea of Luke experienc- films. ing failure enraged manbabies to the point of hysteria, How could their hero get anything wrong? Consider Luke, whose characterization in the film was a lightning rod of controversy for the mom’s basement I’ll tell you how: time. As someone who saw complaint brigade filling the internet with bile and A New Hope at the age of six in a theatre in 1977 and anger. Luke isn’t portrayed as the mighty hero they The Last Jedi at 46, Luke’s story rang true to me in ways suppose he should be but as a flawed old man filled nothing has in a Star Wars film for decades. Anyone with regret. who gets near the half-century mark will experiences triumphs and failures, but more importantly they’ll This was absolutely the correct path for him to take. see their perspective shift in way their younger selves couldn’t possibly predict.

14 In short, most people grow up. And for once, a Star Besides character, The Last Jedi isn’t afraid to just Wars film did the same thing. go for it with story. I like The Force Awakens and The Rise of Skywalker, but at their heart they rely more Luke’s not the only character to face hard choices, Rey on calling back to the previous films than to telling has to figure out who she is and how she relates to the us something new. The Last Jedi does the opposite, Force, has to find his place amongst his fellow tossing much of the previous film in the air and giving Rebels, and new (and excellent) addition us the potential at least for interesting new paths to plants her flag as someone to watch, despite Rise of follow as we watch Rey’s journey of self-discovery. Skywalker’s best efforts to sideline her. Not only does Rey find out her parents were nobodies, she also forges a bond with unlike anything seen in previous films and makes us question where exactly her destiny lies. Will she turn to the Dark Side? Should she? Can she make Kylo learn the error of his ways before it’s too late? I was on the edge of my seat wanting to see what they’d do next as Snoke died and his throne room exploded in violence. For the first time in a long time I had no idea where Star Wars was going and I LIKED it.

Of course, The Rise of Skywalker jetti- soned all that and decided that Snoke was a clone, Rey was a Palpatine, the Emperor was back for some reason and screw com- plexity, let’s see a space battle. Chewie got his medal, so it wasn’t a total loss?

With the Star Wars film franchise resting after a global pandemic essen- tially destroyed going to the movies, it’s up to the small screen to deliver more complexity in a universe in dire need of something more than a multi-trilogy family affair. The Mandalorian isn’t quite that; it’s more of a simple story stripped down to original trilogy essentials but with Peak TV-knowhow thrown into the mix. Let’s hope as Disney+ and Lucasfilm explore this new medium they again find the gumption to try something new and take risks so we can still love Star Wars for what it is, not what it once was.

15 The Rise of Skywalker by Abigail Nussbaum

One interesting aspect of our current era of cinematic franchise, how his worst fanboy tendencies, his desire universes and mega-franchises is that the stories to write to the audience rather than the characters, behind the scenes often feel more interesting, and more have a history of overwhelming anything resembling dramatic, than the ones on screen. I like most MCU coherent or compelling storytelling. Someone should movies, but I’d pay a lot more than a movie ticket’s also have remembered that he’s a great guy for setup, price to know the answers to questions such as why but simply a disaster at paying it off. Not that Abrams Patty Jenkins was fired from Thor: The Dark World, shoulders all the blame here, of course. The Last Jedi or what the creative differences were that led to Ava gets better and richer the longer it has lingered in my DuVernay leaving Black Panther. And when it comes mind, but it must be acknowledged that it moves the to Star Wars in the Disney era, these questions feel overall plot of the sequel trilogy not even an inch, even more urgent, because the decisions being made and in fact dismantles some of the scaffolding built are so much more baffling. Is it really possible that one by The Force Awakens, which Abrams was presumably of the hottest IPs of the century, the potential corner- relying on to finish the story. I say again: it is simply stone of an empire of spin-offs and merchandising bonkers that writers working on different chapters in opportunities, was written in a method not unlike the same story were allowed to do this to one another. the party game where everyone writes a sentence in There’s been far too much vitriol directed at Kathleen a story, folds the page down, and then hands it to the Kennedy, much of it clearly misogynistic, over her next person? I’d give a lot for a record of what went on stewardship of the franchise under Disney, but it has in the meetings where the shape of Disney’s Star Wars to be acknowledged that many of her decisions in that movies—and particularly the sequel trilogy—was capacity have been simply inexplicable. decided on. And frankly, I think such a record would be a great deal more illuminating, not to mention Not least among those decisions—and another entertaining, than The Rise of Skywalker. question I would dearly love to have answered is whether it’s Kennedy or Abrams who is more at From a distance of thirty thousand feet, you could fault here, though ultimately they both shoulder the make an argument for how Disney handled the new blame—is how The Rise of Skywalker scurries away . Let J.J. Abrams, elevated fanboy from nearly all the interesting, progressive choices extraordinaire, bring the series back to life, combining made by The Last Jedi, kowtowing to the hysterical his obsessive fannishness with his unerring eye for baying of violent, racist so-called fans. These are the casting and genuine interest in depicting complex, people who drove off social media winning female heroes, and thus take the franchise because they hated Rose so much—for daring to into the twenty-first century without losing sight of be a woman of color in “their” Star Wars movie. So what it was. Then bring in , who has The Rise of Skywalker sidelines Rose in a way that feels never met a genre convention he didn’t immediately openly contemptuous not only of the character, but want to examine and dismantle, to take the whole of the people to whom she meant so much. A main thing forward, establishing new parameters for what character in The Last Jedi, she gets a measly 76 seconds Star Wars can and should be. Finally, bring Abrams of screentime in Rise, and only one character inter- back to soothe fans’ hurt feelings and give them the action that could conceivably be called meaningful2. triumphant ending a Star Wars story ultimately needs1. Along the same lines, fans who have spent the last four years caterwauling about how “unrealistic” it was Move closer in, however, and the problems with this for Rey to defeat Kylo Ren in lightsaber combat have approach become clearer. Someone should perhaps 2 Anyone hoping for friendship between Rey and Rose in this have remembered what happens when you give movie will be sorely disappointed. Rise isn’t quite a Bechdel fail, Abrams a second crack at a beloved because Rey develops a bond with Leia, who becomes her Jedi master. But these scenes are limited to leftover lines recorded 1 Though of course, this was not the original plan. Rise was by Carrie Fisher for The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi before supposed to have been directed by , who as far her death, and the resulting interactions are thus stilted and as I know has yet to establish an identity as a director, and who strained. And Leia’s death means that Rey ends the movie with is still credited on the film’s story. no female relationships. 16 gotten their reward in a duel in which he thoroughly fair, I find more satisfying than the alternative, but is trounces her. Even the fact that everyone keeps calling also clearly a copout, a way of trying to appease Kylo’s Kylo “Ren”—which is the equivalent of calling Darth haters as well as his fans. Vader “Darth”—feels like a capitulation to an inatten- tive yet outraged fandom’s inability to grasp that Ren Still, if you pull back from the disappointment of how is a title, not a name. Rise refuses all the interesting avenues offered it by Jedi, there’s something fitting about the whole affair. But the more glaring walkbacks in Rise cut to the It’s easy to miss this, because Rise is such a busy, over- very heart of what The Last Jedi was trying to do with stuffed movie3, following Rey, Finn, Poe, and Kylo as Star Wars, and how it was trying to take it forward. they criss-cross the galaxy in search of various plot Johnson purposefully made Rey the daughter of tokens that will lead them to Palpatine’s hideout, nobodies, rebelling against the franchise’s obsession where he has amassed a vast fleet armed with plan- with dynasties and with making every Force user the et-killing weapons that will permanently shift the tide progeny (or ancestor) of another major character. Rise, of war against the rebellion. But just as he recapitu- through an incredibly tortured bit of sophistry, not lated A New Hope when he made The Force Awakens, only reveals that she is actually the granddaughter of Abrams follows the general contours of Return of Emperor Palpatine (whose return as the new trilogy’s the Jedi with this movie. So we have Palpatine as an ultimate villain was presumably imposed by Jedi’s dis- ultimate villain, a visit to Endor4, and a plot that hinges interested killing-off of ), but on the unconvincing, last-minute redemption of a that she and Kylo Ren are a “Force dyad” (and that dyed-in-the-wool villain and a lot of Force woo-woo. Luke and Leia were one as well), thus cementing the It completes a familiar template: one film that is frothy franchise’s preoccupation with a single, convoluted and fun and raises expectations of a great ride ahead; family tree. The fact that Rey adopts the surname one film that is darker and more cerebral and makes “Skywalker” at the film’s end is presumably intended as you think the entire enterprise might actually be a wholesome, uplifting moment, but given everything saying something as well as being fun to watch; and that comes before it—including a kiss between her one film that squanders all that promise by trying to and Kylo—it also feels more than a bit incestuous. repeat the lighter first chapter, and only succeeds in delivering a mish-mash of tones and an ending that The Last Jedi seemed to close the book on the matter feels cobbled-together and unearned. If you didn’t of Kylo Ren’s capacity for redemption by having him know better, you’d think Kennedy and Disney had make the active choice to embrace evil and a lust for planned it like this from the beginning. power, even after Rey helps him free himself from the malign influence of Snoke. ButRise not only gives him And the truth is, in some respects Abrams outdoes a second bite at the apple—along the way revealing Lucas. This is chiefly down to the fact that that Leia, who in Jedi pronounced her son “lost”, was is an infinitely better actor than . In her always planning to make one last stab at saving him— performance as Rey, Ridley is playing essentially the it completely rewrites his character. In the film’s final same combination of good-hearted naiveté and scenes, the person on screen is not a repentant Kylo reflexive heroism as Hamill’s Luke. But she never fails Ren trying to make amends for his many horrific to find greater depth, and interesting little notes, in crimes—which include, I will remind you, mass-mur- her version of the character. Her Rey is matter-of-fact der, genocide, and the enslavement of children; I and self-contained, but also vulnerable and querulous mention this because both the films and the fandom and angry. Throughout the film there are moments— like to pretend that the worst thing Kylo has ever done when she verbally spars with Poe after he brings is kill his father, when really it barely even scratches the back to the resistance base the top one hundred. Instead, it is Ben Solo that we’re battered; when she sadly but firmly informs Leia that watching, and the film works hard to make him seem though she wants her blessing to halt her Jedi training human and down to earth—pulling a Han Solo-ish and go off in pursuit of Palpatine, she will do it either face when he realizes how outnumbered he is as he way; when she shrieks in horror at having seemingly rushes to Rey’s rescue, breaking out in a relieved smile 3 Again, this is partly Johnson’s fault for doing so little heavy when she kisses him. It’s notable, though, that he gets lifting on the plot front. virtually no dialogue in these scenes, as if speaking 4 Though only the briefest glimpse of ewoks, which seems would break the spell and remind us who this character positively cowardly, yet another capitulation to the tastes of fans is and what he’s done. And then he dies—which, to be who are still, thirty-six years later, terrified that someone might think that they enjoy kid stuff. 17 caused Chewie’s death with her Force powers—where has to make if she’s to remain true to who she is and Ridley’s choices take what should have been trite, what she wants to be—in a way that Luke’s refusal to over-familiar beats and make them feel human and kill Vader never did. specific to her character. By the same token, Rise edges a little closer to selling Most importantly, Ridley can believably convey anger Kylo’s “redemption” than Return ever did with Vader. and darkness. When The Rise of Skywalker tells us Not all the way, to be clear—as I’ve said, the film has to that Rey’s anger at Kylo and Palpatine is putting her ignore most of Kylo’s sins, and rewrite his personality, in genuine moral peril, it’s convincing in a way that for the idea to even come close to seeming plausible it never was for Luke, because Luke never actually (it also trots out as a Force ghost to seemed that angry at Vader or the Emperor, no matter offer Kylo unearned absolution, and opine—against how much they hurt him or his friends. In the film’s all available evidence—that he is strong enough to climactic scene, Rey attacks Kylo, driven by anger into shoulder the burden of fighting Palpatine). But when an undisciplined barrage which he quickly turns to Rey saves Kylo’s life, it’s an act of unearned compas- his advantage. She is saved by Leia reaching out to her sion and greatness of spirit that feels like the sort of son in the last minute, staying his hand by reminding thing that might shake an entitled person out of their him of who he used to be. In that moment, Rey takes whiny self-absorption. That Kylo’s shock over Rey’s advantage of Kylo’s distraction and fatally stabs him. choice is what pushes him to renounce the dark side There’s a part of me that still thinks Kylo’s story should is much more convincing, and more moving, than the have ended there—if nothing else, it would have been idea that is suddenly a good guy because wonderfully cathartic for a character to whom the he saved his own son’s life. films keep offering second chances he doesn’t deserve to think that he’s been given another one, only for In the end, though, it’s all for nothing. Like Return of it to turn out to be a trick by two women who have the Jedi before it, The Rise of Skywalker runs aground had all they can stand of his bullshit. But at the same on the shoals of its fuzzy, poorly-defined conception time, Ridley makes it clear that in killing Kylo, Rey of what the Force is, what the light and dark sides are, has crossed a moral event horizon that she may not and what, in the end, good and evil are. As he did be able to live with. When she chooses to save him to Luke, Palpatine insists to Rey that by hating him (through a Force-healing technique that the film and acting on that hatred, she is giving herself to the introduces a scene or two earlier), it’s annoying, but dark side, and that killing him will only cause her also feels earned—a genuine moral choice that Rey to become the new dark lord. The fact that in Rey’s case this is emotionally convincing—again, Ridley is 18 great at conveying Rey’s anger and how it edges her referencing Finn’s past in a storyline that saw him closer to darkness—doesn’t make the catch-22 of it embracing a global morality as well as a personal one, any less annoying. If you’re going to insist that anger left the broader implications of rebellion and violence in response to evil and injustice can untouched. Nevertheless, The Rise of Skywalker was only lead to evil themselves, you need to offer a coun- perfectly positioned to take this idea forward. Rey ter-strategy that is not only convincing, but resonant can’t kill Palpatine without giving in to the dark side? and thematically satisfying. Rise, like Return, can only The rebellion can’t hope to overcome the enormous offer lawyerly quibbling, with a side of special-effects fleet he’s built? Then why not subvert the people extravaganzas. By killing him, Palpatine explains, Rey without whom that fleet is so much space junk? Why will be making herself a vessel for the spirits of all the not use Rey’s powers, and Finn’s intimate knowledge lords who came before them. So Rey, instead, of the stormtrooper psyche, to reach out to people becomes a vessel for all the Jedi. How does she do whom this series has always treated like canon-fod- this? What does it mean? The film doesn’t tell us, pre- der, despite the fact that we now know they were sumably because it has no idea—it just sounded neat. and enslaved? Isn’t that the essence of what And then Rey, with the force of the Jedi behind her, Rose tried to teach Finn in The Last Jedi—winning kills Palpatine anyway, which is now not a dark and not by destroying what we hate, but by saving what morally corrupting act for... reasons, I suppose5. we love? Wouldn’t offering that as an answer to the dilemma Palpatine poses to Rey be infinitely more It’s a particular shame because, waiting in the wings, satisfying than some heretofore-unheard-of Force there was a character and a plotline that could power? have cracked this entire trilogy wide open, made it something special and new and taken the franchise There’s the slightest hint thatRise might be moving forward, and which instead was completely squan- in this direction when it introduces the character of dered and ignored. I am talking, of course, of the one Jannah (Naomi Ackie), herself a former stormtrooper new thing The Force Awakens brought to the franchise, who rebelled with her entire battalion6. But just like the idea that stormtroopers are brainwashed child Finn, she is completely indifferent to the lives of the soldiers, and that some of them might choose to rebel. stormtroopers who are still under the ’s Abrams himself did very little with this idea once he’d sway, enthusiastically joining the rebellion’s side introduced it, and Rian Johnson, though obliquely in a final battle in which entire ships are destroyed.

5 Among other things, this is yet another reminder, after Frozen 6 One wonders whether Abrams thinks that introducing Jannah II last month, that a lot of people in Hollywood have watched makes up for the appalling misuse of Rose, as if women of color Avatar: The Last Airbender, but none of them have figured out were interchangeable, and anyway there can only be one of what made it such a great, satisfying story. them at any given time. 19 What’s more, Jannah is the vector through which the rebelled because the Force compelled him to (Jannah film reveals that she, Finn, and all the other rebelling even says “it was like we didn’t have a choice” when stormtroopers are Force-sensitive. Fans have been describing how her battalion refused to slaughter hoping for this revelation about Finn for a while, so civilians), then he’s not actually morally superior, just at first glance it might seem like a way of elevating the lucky. And, implicitly, Kylo can’t be blamed for all the character’s importance. But upon further reflection, evil he committed, because he was being pulled to do it’s an idea that just gets more and more ugly. If only evil by the Force, just as Finn was pulled to do good. Force-sensitive stormtroopers are capable of rejecting the First Order’s brainwashing, doesn’t that make all It’s a sterile, offensive take on morality that overwrites the others inherently killable? Doesn’t it negate the sig- what should have been the heart of these movies. But nificance of Finn’s moral choice? And is that, perhaps, perhaps that choice was inevitable. There’s no room the point? Fans—myself very much included—have for Kylo Ren, after all, in a story about Rey and Finn been pointing out for a while the perversity of the reaching out to the stormtroopers7. And the new Star films focusing on Kylo Ren’s putative redemption in the same story in which another character, who was 7 Remember, Kylo has been Supreme Leader since the end of raised with none of the advantages and protections Jedi, a period during which, we’re told in Rise, the First Order that Ben Solo enjoyed, simply chose—at great personal has stepped up its campaign of child abductions. So far from risk—not to hurt helpless people. But if Finn only being the person who could reach out to the stormtroopers, he’s the ultimate cause of their suffering and dehumanization.

20 Wars movies—at least the ones created by Abrams— probably shouldn’t come as a surprise that Abrams remain obsessed with dynasties. Hence this last one’s and Disney, in their terror of alienating “fans” who title, and the revelation of Rey’s ancestry, and her can’t stand to see this series change and progress, connection with Kylo, which also ties them both to turned away from that story, and gave us one with a Luke and Leia. A story about Rey using the Force to hollow, corroded heart. reach out to the faceless slaves who make up the First Order would have been a different sort of Star Wars— Reprinted from Asking the Wrong Questions with permission. the kind I thought The Last Jedi was promising us. It What is a Star War? by Hamish Walker

“Good artists copy; great artists steal.” certainly tries the most, from the opening bombing run on the Dreadnought to Canto Bight channelling It’s hard to get away from the above quote when every movie casino ever. thinking about Star Wars. So much of its whole aesthetic is lifted from a huge range of cultural sources Of the Disney movies the one that has the most to say and then blended together. There is something in this is easily . I was immediately struck by the cross pollination of imagery that makes it timeless. As use of imagery relating to the Alliance. Rogue One is the opening crawl says; long ago and faraway; a pop essentially the story of learning to fight for something culture myth. rather than against something. Visually you can see this in the shorthand used on Jedha and Scarif. Saw This sense of rearranged familiarity is part of the Gerrera’s Alliance extremists on Jedha borrow visually enduring appeal of the original trilogy. I also think the from middle eastern insurgents. By the finale the huge influence of Star Wars on the language of film led Alliance soldiers are literally WWII GIs storming the to several problems with the sequel trilogy. beaches.

The original trilogy lifts from the imagery of Westerns, The Mandalorian understands completely. It is a WWII, Samurai and old adventure serials. The sequel shameless Western/Samurai mashup with that coat trilogy is lifting from the imagery of Star Wars itself. of Star Wars paint. Lone Wolf and Cub should file a The cinematic roots of Star Wars have all largely fallen lawsuit. But it also really cares about these worlds. We out of favour in mainstream cinema. spend time on each planet. Much of that time is spent alone with Mando; the blank mask enhances that So much of The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi and loneliness. Much like a real baby, The Child’s cute but The Rise of Skywalker feels familiar because it is. It’s Star unintelligible sounds only enhance our isolation. Wars. Just scaled up and far more frantic. I can think if no better example than in The Rise of Skywalker where The narratives ofThe Mandalorian aren’t particularly Poe hyperspace skips through more planets than we complicated. But it does add wrinkles to our under- go to in the whole of A New Hope. Each locale is so standing of the universe. From presenting the Sand carefully crafted in the original trilogy, in part due to People as more than just monstrous savages to the limitations of the era but also because it’s wasteful to Alliance X-Wing pilots being presented as put-upon just go places because you can. Nowadays its no effort intergalactic beat cops, there’s a host of small enjoy- to craft a world from pixels but that doesn’t mean ments to be had in every episode. Yet all of these fit those worlds feel real or matter to the audience. within our understanding of the Star Wars aesthetic.

There are certainly moments when it seems the sequel It remains to be seen whether The Mandalorian can trilogy finds its way out of that Star Wars shadow and keep stealing from our shared visual heritage to draws upon something beyond itself. The Last Jedi remain fresh and endearing or if it will succumb to the Star Wars. 21 The Mandalorian Panel at Star Wars Celebration 2019 by James Bacon

I wanted to think about where The Mandalorian on the scale where it began, with different worlds very become tangibly real—more than just something on separate. Calling on when the Age of the Warrior was a screen, but real people bringing together something going to end, such as the end of the US Civil War. amazing. As I was lucky enough to get to Star Wars Celebration in 2019, I felt I should share my reportage. They discussed the Holiday Special and the rifle that Boba Fett had. They wanted to bring in elements from Sitting amongst thousands of other fans, we all wanted every aspect and to somehow bring them all together: to see what The Mandalorian was going to be about; the original trilogy (Jon’s favourites); Dave’s love of what it was going to have to offer; and what footage the prequels; the sequels; the ; and looking we might get to see. to bring back parts of Legends. At that, the audience went ballistic—it was amazing, and I was stunned­. The music was Star Wars-style as Kathleen Kennedy, Reaching into the Expanded Universe! Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni came out onto the stage. were wielded, helmets hoisted high, and Then they called out and put a photo of the place ignited in cheering and shouting. Kathleen Mando on the big screen. Pedro took a photo of the introduced them, said she was excited and exited stage audience and was enjoying this a lot; the venue was right. like a sports stadium going up high. Then they brought out , with her image on the screen in her Favreau and Filoni then started what was a very shock trooper gear. friendly double-act in a way, comfortable with each other, and poking occasional fun, and they spoke Finally they introduced “new actor” . I about how they met in 2007 when Dave was on the shit you not, APOLLO CREED himself! And, at 70: first season ofThe Clone Wars and Jon was mixing lean, strong and fit, looking so good in a suit jacket Iron Man “up at the Ranch”. Jon offered to do a voice; with such broad shoulders. Everyone started chanting: that day George had created a character called Pre Apollo! Apollo! Vizsla, and so they got together on that and became friends. When Pedro was asked what the series was about, he pointed to images and said it was fantasy fulfilment Jon said he had been working on this idea of what to cheers. He was unsure what he was allowed to say, would happen when the Empire had fallen and the and so he described the character he plays­—Din—as revolution was successful. Based on history things get a mysterious lone gunfighter in the outer reaches of messy, and so he wanted to see what would occur and the galaxy. Some might say he is with a questionable how characters would survive chaos taking over. As moral character, in line with some of the best tradi- he spoke, the audience was enraptured. Jon explained tions of Westerns and Samurai. And he’s a badass. how he the loved the cantina and the smugglers, and the scum and villainy. He loved that when he was Gina introduced , and she talked about growing up and now he found it a rich area of involve- being embraced by the Star Wars family. She said that ment. Dave felt this aspect was very unique and fun; Cara was an ex-rebel shock trooper—not what they and Jon came up with the idea of The Mandalorian. fans were reading online—and because it was secret, They worked on the armour, designed the helmet, she is having a bit of trouble reintegrating into society. and looked back to the roots that had inspired George and the old Westerns and Samurai films. They were

22 Carl loved the audience. He loved it. Cast as Greef bass, but only a hint of it) as he walks into the bar. Karga, he said it was amazingly exciting. Fans shouted Then the Lucasfilm logo came up and we got clips from out “we love you” and he called back “I love you behind the scenes: Scout Troopers, Mando, Imperials, too”. He described it as an incredible experience—a aliens, space bases, a wide-open Western-style town little insane, even. He said this group of fans was like square. Pablo described Mando as something that something out of Star Wars! harks to a medieval knight and noted that we all have our own armour. The reel was a mix of footage and Carl told us that Greef was running a group of bounty behind the scenes commentary. hunters, as the head of a guild. He has a lot of nefarious people (even if they are good people) working for him As they screening finished, the audience went wild. and he is looking for someone to go after a product Dave and Jon spoke of how all the directors were fans that is very valuable to a client. He finds the Mandalo- of Star Wars, and how there was a lot in there for the rian, and he sends him out, and the Mandalorian does fans who have been into Star Wars for 40 years. Jon what needs to be done. said a lot of care and detail had gone into it.

Then Jon introduced a piece of footage. They spoke of how they had a scene where they realised that they didn’t have enough stormtroopers. On the screen we saw Mando walking on a cold Then, they realised in the production meeting that planet. A radar or locator beeping, wind whirling, dif- they did not have enough stormtrooper costumes. But, ferent-sounding music (we got the recorder, and some Dave knew some people who dress as stormtroopers,

23 so they put a call out on a Thursday or Friday. The And yet there was more! They had some unprepared call didn’t mention why, but people came. Up on the and unfinished—but good enough!—footage. Oh screen came 26 stormtroopers without helmets on my goodness, it was just so good. They had Mando with Mando and Dave and Jon. Jon was surprised that walk into a cantina and speak to Greef; he seems to be many of the 501’s costumes were better than some of not getting very much for the bounties. We see him those filmed in the past. Because the stormtroopers walk into a place: there are very rough, battle-scarred did not know what it was for, they expected a hospital- stormtroopers there, and there is with ity event. They were both a test audience, and totally an Imperial medallion. Crikey, it was very intense: it able to move like stormtroopers, and a lot of fun. was dark and had that world-weary feeling. There was just the right amount of action, and it was incredible. And right there and then, I was like…this is it. This is It was not perfect from a film footage point of view, going to be awesome. but it felt so good.

Carl Weathers said the drafted-in stormtroopers There was more snippets of script and then serious worked so hard, and he said he learned from the men action. The Razor Crest flying, Mando and Cara and women who were fans. Dave pointed out that fighting; and ; ; many fans yearn to own a screen-used piece, and as Dr. Pershing; Kuill; and flametroopers. they left, they realised that all their armour that day was now screen-used. The Client is played by Werner Herzog. It seemed so amazing that this great director and screenwriter is in They also talked about , puppetry, and Star Wars. It all looked amazing and felt incredible. the tech that was used at the beginning of the Star Wars saga. They named the ship, the Razor Crest, They had talked about where the Mandalorians were which he described as a reflective silver old army-sur- during the original trilogy and even the prequels, and plus gunship. They wanted one for lighting reference they were colouring in the missing parts. Pedro asked (and Dave wanted one for his desk) and so they had Jon for things to watch and to take in to get a feel for a model made. They talked about doing a shot with the part; he was pointed at Sergio Leone and Akira the rig and the miniature: suddenly people started Kurosawa. popping out of the woodwork asking about “a model”. Then, more people would turn up enquiring. Then Pedro said that the show was incredible for him. He unexpected people were showing up, and all because was born in 1975 and he has a Star Wars imagination. it was a cool model. Jon Helms was building one in When he was called in for his garage and it was like a “Star Wars thing” he went Star Wars club at school. in and saw Jon and Dave and they were surrounded They showed some footage by wall-to-wall images of of various people working the story of the series. He on the Razor Crest, did not know what he was including Doug Chiang wanted to do… So it was a designing. They showed kit fabulous moment. bashing and pieces being 3D printed. John Goodson Everyone watching, and building it old-school, all also those in the two other in his garage. Hal Hickle theatre spaces (where fans researched all the previous were crammed in and Star Wars films, studying watching), got a poster of the flight paths and how The Mandalorian. I was the star fields worked. so excited, so pleased. So They showed the Razor hopeful. Crest flying—it looked amazing—and talked about shooting it on a rig in the basement of ILM. 24 This was the same weekend as we saw the Looking back, there were also fans I really like, who Rise of Skywalker trailer. Rey breathing heavy; Luke commentate on YouTube. Alex and Millie from Star speaking; the TIE Whisper charging; the music Wars Explained weren’t sure about The Mandalorian, building into a crescendo; Lando laughing, piloting and the guys from Fanta Tracks were all hyped. It was the Millennium Falcon; a hand caressing a Battle of interesting to see so many opinions and thoughts and Medal; Rey and Leia hugging. Being told the guesses. The footage shown was not yet ready, and Saga Comes to an End. People were falling apart, indeed, you won’t find it anywhere now. tears, cheers. Billy Dee Williams just stepped out on stage and loved the crowd, as we loved him and how That is where we are now, all over again. We have had he defended Lando… It was amazing to see him on a massive reveal with the Child, and we have gone stage. through two seasons of a journey with Din and getting Grogu to a safe place. What next? Well it could be This was the same weekend that every time Kelly more about Mandalorian history with the Darksaber. Marie Tran went near a stage people started chanting But what about Thrawn? There is so much to draw her name: this was spontaneous. She walked out onto upon. the Star Wars Celebration Stage for the Star Wars Show live with J.J. Abrams and after the cheering had died Just as it was last year in April, I cannot wait for next down, and they took their seats, the crowd just started year, and the third season of Mando. I want to see chanting her name and punching the air. J.J. put his where it goes, what new surprises will be in store. I hand on her shoulder and she stood up to acknowl- doubt anyone can predict what will happen with the edge and just take it in; there were a lot of people here. Child, and when we will see him again.

The love for Kelly was only matched by the love for So now, some 20 months and 16 episodes later, we , who played . So many are all enraptured by The Mandalorian in one way or fans were there who grew up on those prequels and another (or not at all). I do have a number of great were showing their love. The 20th anniversary of friends who have yet to watch it—and that is cool­— The Phantom Menace was so huge. Hearing the laugh but they understand my appreciation of it. Dave and of Emperor, followed by Ian McDiarmid coming on Jon did good. They had a lot of help: , stage… There was a lot to compete with. , , Christopher Yost, , Peyton Reed, Carl Weathers and It was a hugely positive and amazing time. In it all, all had a part to play, as did so many I just thought—wow—Mando was so good-looking others, but they did pretty damn good. and we hadn’t seen anything yet. 25 26 Dark Empire: The Original New Trilogy by David Ferguson

Long before we saw the new trilogy, and even before somewhat similar to his plans in Dark Empire. The we saw the prequel trilogy, there was Dark Empire. comic version of the story also makes it clearer that One of the first Dark Horse Star Wars adaptations, it Leia is strong with the force as she meets another Jedi was considered canon until the Disney acquisition in called Vima who senses as much (plus more I won’t 2012 and Lucas Films’ announcement, in April 2014, go into). She still has children with Han Solo, though that it wasn’t and was now under a new “Legends” none of them are called Ben, and it also makes it clear banner. Dark Empire I was a six issue mini-series that that they are married. It also adds to the back story of hit stands in 1991 and 1992, with Dark Empire II, Han, who has a run in with someone familiar to us all. another six issue mini-series arriving in 1994 and We see more about others like as well, 1995, and Empire’s End, a two issue series, arriving as his people and planet are one of the first targets of in 1995. Along with arriving before the cinematic the Empire. The story focuses on existing characters version, it is also set earlier in Star Wars chronol- as opposed to a new generation. Cam Kennedy’s art is ogy, being set just 10 years after the events of the wonderful here as he captures all the technology and Return of the Jedi (The Force Awakens is 30 years). The character of the original trilogy. His art merges the advantage of the comics over film is that there is no gritty art of war comics with a knack for design. There special effects budget and the “actors” can be whatever is a simple feel to his work that makes it feel grounded. age you choose. Another advantage, at least in this Writer ’s dialogue feels like a continuation case, is that there is a consistent vision as writer Tom of the old too. It is great set up for overall trilogy of Veitch writes all three volumes. Legendary artist Cam series. I felt The Force Awakens was the strongest of the Kennedy draws two volumes with Jim Baikie’s art on new cinematic trilogy and I think the same could be Empire’s End, with a style not a million parsecs from said for Dark Empire I and this trilogy. Kennedy’s. I’ll say before I get to plot specifics, I am going to give some of the larger plot points without Dark Empire II covers Luke’s quest to restore the Jedi going into the nitty-gritty, as I’m hoping that this piece Knights, something that is covered in the cinematic gets some people to read the books and I want to leave trilogy in conversation and flashbacks but here it is them with some surprises. actually shown. The rebels want to press the advantage against the Empire and attack the Emperor’s base Dark Empire I is largely about the return of the dark despite Luke advising them to build up their forces forces. Through great struggle the has first. Mon Mothma asks Luke to focus on the restora- formed a New Republic but the now the remnants tion of the Jedi Order instead. He takes a former Dark of the Empire have returned and are reclaimed the Jedi (servants of the Emperor with force abilities), majority of worlds (similar to The Force Awakens Kam Solusar, with him to Ossus, a former Jedi-pop- except Dark Empire I explicitly connects the opposing ulated world destroyed by the Sith. There they find a force to the original Empire and the Emperor almost tribe of force sensitives and end up discovering more immediately). On (the former Imperial about the Jedi. Leia has a quest of her own as she seeks Center), Han Solo, Leia, and C-3PO out the Jedi Vima and Han Solo, with the bounty on arrive in the Millennium Falcon to try and rescue him increased and Leia again, finds himself with more Luke and Lando who are holding out against Imperial bounty hunter problems. The Empire has also built yet Forces. They learn that Luke has disappeared, having another super weapon, which I find somewhat similar sensed that the Dark Side is still strong in the former to the cinematic version (although in this case, I find Imperial strong hold. Luke is shocked to discover that the cinematic one to be a more impressive concept). the Emperor lives. The circumstances of Palpatine’s This is another strong series. The creative team return in The Rise Of Skywalker is seen as a nod to continues where they left off and Cam Kennedy gets this. The methods of his return are not specifically to draw some more iconic stuff. I think this volume is mentioned in the movie but are covered in the nov- just a strong as volume one and really adds to the Jedi elisation and are similar. His plans for Rey are also mythology. 27 Empire’s End is probably the weakest of the three side forces ravage his body, the Emperor’s attempts series. With only two issues, it doesn’t have to space at staving off death being an ongoing theme of the to breathe that the others have and I don’t quite enjoy trilogy. Dark Empire appears on a number of top ten Jim Baikie’s art as much as Cam Kennedy’s. That isn’t lists related to the Expanded Universe and is probably a slight on Jim Baikie as Cam Kennedy is a tough act the series I’d recommend first to fans of the original to follow. All that being said, it is a good conclusion trilogy. Cam Kennedy’s art is wonderful and the Tom for the story and shows a story that consistently builds Veitch expands the characters, and the universe, in from the beginning of the trilogy. (I found incon- believable directions. It also leaves you wanting more. sistency to be a weakness of the cinematic trilogy). Check it out. Try Crimson Empire after if you want Empire’s End’s story mostly covers the Emperor’s more! attempt to obtain Han & Leia’s child as the dark

The De-Canonization Act of 2014 by Chris Garcia

Or “as if millions of voices suddenly cried out in terror Then, there was Splinter in the Mind’s Eye. and were suddenly silenced”. Okay, okay, I don’t like Alan Dean Foster’s writing. He’s There was a time when Star Wars was broader than an okay dude, but really, most of his work ain’t for me. you could possibly imagine. There were families, there This, on the other hand, absolutely is my bag, baby. It’s were deaths, there were births, and there were Jedi. a great story, apparently based around Foster getting These things existed in books, video games, comics, a look at early versions of the original movie’s script. audio dramas, toys, and most importantly, in the There’s Darth Vader, Luke and Leia on an adventure, hearts of Star Wars fans. It didn’t quite entirely mesh, a mud wrestling scene, and most importantly, Darth but is also didn’t fly off like Vader’s tie-fighter either. losing an arm. There were dead-ends and grand avenues, but they were all amazing. Splinter was quickly made non-canon, but it never went away. Like The Star Wars Holiday Special, it was The beginning was a short story in a Marvel anthology just ignored for ages. I’m sure that would have worked comic: Pizzazz. Writer by Archie Goodwin and Roy fine for decades, until Disney got involved. Thomas, and pencilled by Hall of Famer Howard Chaykin, it was a story that took place after the Battle If you’re a nerd born in the mid-1970s, you probably of Yavin. Luke and Leia head to Yavin 4 to deal with remember the Star Wars Roleplaying Game. I never an Empire flare-up. It was a really good little story, and played it, but you better believe that I owned and read one that was one of the earliest to explore the extent of the hell out of it. There was some material out there the Star Wars universe. 28 when they released it in 1987. They basically coalesced After a while, it became obvious that Lucasfilm needed everything that had been published and put to screen to reign everything in. The Disney deal was huge, but at the time so they could create a more full universe. more importantly, there was the need to make more This was the turning point, because everyone started to movies. Lucasfilm launched the Star Wars Legends realise that this was a major expansive world, and that line, which was what all the re-prints of those books, there was money in mining it. After that, Lucasfilm comics, and everything else was considered a part of. really started their program of expanded material. The official canon was revised and everything that ended up on the screen, and everything after 2014 was There were dozens of novels by some of the best automatically in that canon. Now, a few things aren’t, writers in SF’s orbit. There was Timothy Zahn who exactly, and a few things from before then are seen as created so much great stuff. The Thrawn novels that a part, but mostly, it was 2014 that saw the reorgani- he created really bumped everything into over-drive. zation. Even Star Tours, the greatest ride ever based They sold ridiculously well. Dark Horse bought the around a movie, was re-worked to fit in with the new Star Wars license, stealing it out from under Marvel officially-sanctioned universe. who had it since 1977, and they really dug in and put out a lot of great comics. Tom Veitch was great, The problem is, people have been creating secondary at the absolute peak of his talents, and Cam Kennedy material, fanwork, within those Expanded Universe was really strong too. One of the best of all Star Wars worlds. Short films like Troops come to mind, and comics. those books like Splinter in the Mind’s Eye and the original Thrawn novels, are amazing ways to get For these stories, they had to create a new villain- deeper into the Star Wars work. If you’ve never expe- ous crew, because they eventually had to defeat the rienced Shadow of the Empire, go and do that! It’s Empire, right? The New Jedi Order worked to do that, amazing. and it was amazing. These were a series of novels that were so incredible, and ultimately they took a lot of What I miss the most is the material that goes a long risks. Most importantly, they killed off characters. ways away from the movies. Knights of the Old Republic Chewbacca was the one that got to the most readers. and Dawn of the Jedi are super-cool, and they feel so His death was… well, it’s difficult to talk about even much fresher than the stuff that was wedged in-be- this many years later. They killed off Anakin Solo. tween the movies, in the nooks and crannies. I love They had explored the birth and lives of Leia and things like Rogue Squadron and Lost Tribe of the Sith Han’s family, and of Luke’s family. This was a big deal, which 100% feels like the cleanest of the work that is and it was a redefinition of the Star Wars Universe. no longer considered canon.

Then the prequels. This all brings me back to watching Episode III. I was watching and was hoping that they’d do something Basically, Lucas had said that no one could work in cool; I was hoping they’d kill off Yoda. the pre-Star Wars stuff, and though there were a few drops here and there, he was creating the prequelverse, WHAT!?!?!? which more or less sucked. Yes, I was hoping that they’d kill off Yoda and force There was so much material, and while it didn’t always us to reconsider the entire universe. That’s what the fit perfectly into the Universe, it was always of the Expanded Universe/Legends stuff did. We had to spirit. There were so many things that they explored. reconsider everything we’d experienced before in light The Ewoks TV series and movies and Droids cartoon. of this new material. Read Splinter in the Mind’s Eye The Clone Wars, which I’ve heard described as the best today and what you’re experiencing is a great story Star Wars material not created for the big screen. The that uses the beautiful world, and perhaps it’s a mul- audio dramas like Tales from the Cantina ti-verse idea. In many ways, this material is fanwork and Rebel Mission to Ord Mantell that were so great, that happens to be professionally published, and like and worth another listen. All of this stuff was clean and fanwork, I think the love comes through as much as clear, and all the video games, including the amazing the plot, characters, or settings. That’s a major part of Star Wars: Dark Forces, happened to bring new depths why I love the Legends stuff, and why I’m so bummed to the entire Universe. it’s not official. 29 Is this The Way? by Ken Marsden

On May 1982, my dad took myself and my younger So, how is The Mandalorian? It’s good, isn’t it! I mean, brother to see the Star Wars and Empire Strikes Back dou- the stories are great. They move along at a nice clip ble-bill at the Classic Cinema in Harold’s Cross, Dublin. and they’re bite-sized, so you don’t have to set aside This was to be one of those life changing experiences an entire evening to watch it. But the main attraction that opened a doorway to something so incredible and here is that it’s fresh. enjoyable that I still smile when I think about that day. Which amazingly, is still a vivid memory even though You do not need to be a Star Wars fanatic to enjoy I was only six years old! I’m sure many Star Wars fans The Mandalorian. If you’ve never seen another Star would have a similar story. Wars movie The Mandalorian is still very much acces- sible. It’s safe to say that Jon Favreau chose to build Over the years since then it’s safe to say that Star Wars this series on a foundation of Star Wars lore and has been in or around my life in some way or another. tradition, accuracy, honesty, and incredible detail. These days I’m happy to be a regular punter; no longer Many will know that took inspiration too worried about having the latest new release limited for Star Wars from the Saturday cinema matinees of edition gizmo or stumping for midnight tickets to the mid 20th century. By employing the same basic premieres. That’s not to say I don’t care what direction structure to each episode, The Mandalorian takes the Star Wars takes. form of one of these weekly serials. It was refreshing and exciting to have to wait a week for the next instal- Since Disney took hold of the reins (and the budget) ment, rather than main-lining the whole series in one it’s been more than interesting, to say the least. There hit; a new normal these days where watching online have been many detractors; some appear to be just serials is concerned. And then there’s the content! Oh, anti-Mouse and won’t even consider the efforts, where to start… others just don’t like the direction it’s taken (outside of their imagination and possibly, their preference You can tell immediately that this series is created for the Expanded Universe offerings). I think maybe by fans. Without Googling, I can tell that Favreau when I was younger I would have been more invested, had Kenner Star Wars toys. Like many fans who concerned, and critical of some of the movies released also collected (and still do) the first line of Star Wars under the Disney banner; but now, I honestly think toys, The Mandalorian has shone the spotlight on they are good and worthy. Sure, there’s bits that are many characters, beings, vehicles, and gadgets that baffling and annoying; the space horses charging and the original movies and subsequent prequels and the flying Leia made me cringe a bit, andSolo didn’t sequels either only vaguely touched on or ignored blow the doors off, but look at Rogue One; that is clearly altogether. There’s the Imperial Troop Transporter; as one of the best of all time. Up there with Empire, I a toy it was, and still is, very easy to obtain. Strangely reckon. And they’re infinitely better than the prequels. absent from the original movies, it gets fantastic coverage in Chapter 12: “The Siege”. Then there’s the So, with the added excitement and trepidation of a Sand People. One of the first plastic figures released Star Wars foray into TV land it wasn’t without some in 1978 the Tusken, or Sand Person, has featured in reservation I signed up for Disney+. I needed to see a few movies where Tatooine is the backdrop. I’ve The Mandalorian. always felt the Sand People got a bum deal; not helped at all by their abduction of Shmi Skywalker/Lars in To be entirely honest, I was hesitant. I didn’t want Star Attack of the Clones. In The Mandalorian they are Wars to go the route of Star Trek. Ok, so Trek was a revealed to be a dangerous but honourable race who TV series first. But I don’t really rate Trek or any of its are happy to go about their business but won’t take any many spin-offs. Sure, I appreciate the attraction and crap from outsiders. I think they’ve been served well understand it’s good TV, but it just ain’t my bag. I’ve here and have finally had some kind of vindication. tried. There’s also decent screen-time for Jawas, Quarren, Aqualish, Ugnaught, Rodian, IG-series assassin droids, and some others I’ve probably missed I’m sure. 30 There’s gadgets aplenty too; the rocket firing backpack other licenced manufacturers are marketing their toys finally gets to fire its rockets. The original Stormtrooper towards the older collector and excluding the younger , the SE-14, finally gets to prove itself in battle. fans who actually want to play with the toys. A brief The E-Web Heavy Repeating Blaster, first seen in the look at eBay or the website will tell you all you hands of some unfortunate Snow Troopers in Empire, need to know. New Star Wars figures retail between gets a regular run out in The Mandalorian. And quite £15 and £20, if you’re lucky. This has lead to a deluge right too; it’s a formidable weapon! of fakes and if the price looks cheap I can tell you that the product is too. Currently, on there is an All of these little details give The Mandalorian a advert that pops up from time to time flouting their structure that the story can then be folded around. Mando helmet. It looks good in the ad, the website And details are not limited to the visual; the sound page is fairly clean, but at £30 is it too good to be true? effects are so on point too. Everything from blaster fire Unfortunately, it is. to engine noise is perfect and ties in seamlessly with the original movies from the 70s and 80s. The only affordable decent replica helmet out there is the Black Series range at £120. Not too cheap at all. Obviously, we need to mention Boba Fett finally getting the long overdue live-action coverage he But that’s my only whinge about The Mandalorian, deserves. The Mandalorian officially puts to bed any and as I’ve said it doesn’t really pertain to the series “did-he-didn’t-he” survive the Sarlaac questions. A itself. fan favourite, Fett only ever clocked up six minutes of actual screentime. But as mentioned in another SF So, where is The Mandalorian going next? I have a classic made around the same time as Empire; “The suspicion we’ll see him head off with Bo-Katan and light that burns twice as bright only burns half as friends to retake the throne on Mandalore. He is now long”. In the years since his plummet into the belly of the accidental bearer of the Darksaber, obtained from the Sarlaac, Fett has taken on a legendary and mystical Moff Gideon, and as such now has a claim to the reputation, making appearances in numerous novels, throne. It will be interesting to see how this plays out comics, and cartoons. This was a fabulous reintro- with Bo-Katan as she was determined to get the sabre duction to film, and at times I wished I was watching and her only way now to do that is to beat Din Djarin his own show instead of The Mandalorian. I couldn’t in combat. A tricky situation you’ll agree. get enough of him, or his iconic ship, Slave 1, so I was awestruck when the post credit scene rolled on We’ve probably seen the last of Grogu, at least for now the final episode and we were promised further Fett anyway. Maybe further down the road in a different escapades next Christmas. series he’ll pop up again.

One of the more refreshing aspects of the show is the And speaking of thrones; it looks as though Boba absence of any jargon or clunky explanations sur- Fett has taken over the large void left by one Jabba rounding The Force. Despite the Child’s obvious Jedi the ! You’ll remember that Jabba was strangled talents, anything Jedi related is thankfully limited. We and blown to smithereens on his luxury sail barge see things from the “normal” folks’ perspective and in Return of the Jedi. In the final episode post credit we’re not caught up again in any quasi-religious quest clip we see Fett and Shand blast their way into Jabba’s that has been done over and again a few times now. palace. Sitting on the late Jabba’s throne is his old right Ahsoka makes an appearance, and Luke, and thrilling hand man, the Twi’lek . He barely gets as those scenes were, they were brief. out a nervous hello before Fett ends his story arc with a swift blaster bolt to the chest. We will have to see So, with all that covered, here’s the gripe. Not a big where this all goes in the next gripe, and not aimed at the series itself, but at the Christmas, but it’s safe to say that people are excited. merchandising. It is now clearly beyond the means And it’s probably a good bet that Din Djarin hasn’t of many to afford the official merchandise. Those of seen the last of Boba Fett either. you who are familiar with the line will know what I mean. When I was a kid in the 80s, a Star Wars figure cost £2.49 at their peak. It wasn’t cheap, but neither was it unattainable. You could save your pocket money. I am concerned that Hasbro and 31 Thoughts on The Mandalorian by Journey Planet Contributors

What have you enjoyed about The in order to protect the baby”, and Marguerite Smith Mandalorian? wrote, “I was surprised that Din Djarin was willing to take his helmet off multiple times. It shows how Michelle Mendes Vazquez wrote that for her, “the important he felt the reason to be, I suppose, although nostalgia of stepping into that universe [is] like being I wonder how much was also the fact that he met reunited with a familiar place, but we’re getting to other Mandalorians with a different belief structure. experience it through the lives of new characters”. I’m still deciding whether it surprised me more that and Marguerite Smith wrote that the show “helped he was willing to show that vulnerability in front of his build out the sense of the day-to-day challenges and enemies or in front of his allies.” the true edges of the Republic’s reach”, both of which were thoughts echoed by Collin Wilcox, Alex Heltzer, What are you pleased about? and Tony Parker, who praised the step away from the Skywalker dynasty. The episodic format was praised by The Child—Grogu—was the focus of Jennifer Linda Wales and Andrew Wales who also noted that Kloenne’s and Michelle Mendes Vazquez’s comments, “It feels like a mini Hollywood movie landing each with Michelle writing “It’s hard to look at him and not Friday”. Speaking of high production values, Jennifer feel joy”. Marguerite Smith said that she was pleased we Kloenne and Paul Finley both called out the use and hadn’t seen Grogu “wield the Force through fear and making of special effects as a particular highlight of darkness”. The format of the show was praised, with the show. Finally, Victor D’Agostino II wrote that Collin Wilcox saying “I feel like every time I watch a “Favreau and Filoni…built stronger character bonds new episode, it’s a different story and a new piece of and evolved relationships”, and the opportunities for the puzzle” and Victor D’Agostino II also noted that characters were also picked up by other respondents. “each story is individual yet cohesive”.

What has surprised you? Michelle Mendes Vazquez and Paul Finley were both also keen on the character development, and Michelle There was a clear majority answer to this, with Collin was inspired by “seeing a bunch of badass women Wilcox, Victor D’Agostino II, Paul Finley, Margue- working together in the final episode”. Linda Wales rite Smith, and Jennifer Kloenne all highlighting liked seeing Moff Gideon’s downfall. The exploration the character appearance in the final episode of the of the corners of Star Wars also drew people’s praisae, season as a particular shock for them (and you will with Alex Heltzer enjoying “the culture of Mandalo- note, reader, that we don’t spoil it for you here!). Other rians” and “the Darksaber and…the lore associated characters that took people by surprise were Boba Fett with it”. Andrew Wales came at this from a different and Ahsoka Tano, both of which caused comment. angle, saying “I feel a bit unclean about the boatload Michelle Mendes Vazquez took a slightly different of fan service we’ve seen, but honestly, deep down, I tack, writing “that very first episode...seeing someone love it.” who looked like Master Yoda! I knew at that moment I was going to love the show”; your editor suspects that What let you down? most people were similarly taken aback by that reve- lation! Victor D’Agostino II, Michelle Mendes Vazquez, Paul Finley, Jennifer Kloenne, and Andrew Wales didn’t Tony Parker and Andrew Wales both focused on the really have anything to say on this question, but the production itself, with Tony mentioning “the level at rest of our commentators had some gripes. Several which it has been able to execute” and Andrew delving focused on the end of the second season; Linda Wales into “how grown-up it feels”. Linda Wales wrote that thought the ending was sad. Collin Wilcox was disap- she was surprised at the “lengths Mando has to go to pointed by Din removing his helmet, writing “I know 32 he’s not technically a born Mandalorian but I felt that knitted and crocheted and cross-stitched things, he should have stuck with the code he grew up with.” stickers, sculptures, planters, wood art, travel posters, Marguerite was a little disappointed by the cameo in movie posters, and stained glass. Collin Wilcox “got a the last episode: “not everything needs to tie into the talking Grogu doll for Christmas”; Linda Wales has “a films, or into major characters, for it to be interesting.” blanket with an embroidered Grogu [and] a knitted hanging [Grogu]”; and Paul Finley owns a “Baby Yoda Tony Parker writes that “The Jawas… feel tacked on, T-shirt”. and are the only empty characters in the series. They seem to only exist for a path for the hero to find the Other elements of the show are also mentioned, with dragon.” Alex Heltzer “was disappointed that they Victor D’Agostino II calling attention to “an explosion killed off…IG–11 at the end of the first season.” of Din & Boba cosplay armor” and getting himself a helmet from CyberCraftRU on . Tony Parker Where do you think Season 3 is mentions the HasLab Razor Crest. going to go? Andrew Wales says “I was amazed at how Disney The tricky problem of what to do now that Grogu and (of all organisations) missed the merch boat last Din aren’t together reared its head in this question. Christmas…the most creative stuff is on Etsy right Jennifer Kloenne wondered whether “maybe the now”, and Paul Finley concurs. Andrew follows up: [third] season is 10 years in the future and they cross “Just search for ‘Mandalorian’ and treat yourself to paths again”? Paul Finlay says that he hopes “we’ll have something!” some follow through on Grogu’s training and experi- ences with Luke” and this was echoed by Linda Wales, What’s a question you would ask? Alex Heltzer, and Marguerite Smith. Andrew Wales, however, wrote “I think we’re done with the main Tony Parker wrote, “I’d be curious what other original Grogu arc. That’s not to say we won’t see him again (of characters people would like to make and base shows/ course we will), but I think Mando needs new adven- books off of, and their stories. It’s a massive universe, tures. The focus is almost certainly going to be related and so many stories to tell.” Marguerite Smith has to the reclaiming of Mandalore.” Victor D’Agostino II, questions about “the lifecycle of The Child and Yoda” Michelle Mendes Vazquez, Alex Heltzer and Margue- and wonders about why Grogu isn’t speaking yet and rite Smith all agreed that the reclaiming of Mandalore how he might learn to speak; if you’re interested in and the ownership of the Darksaber would be a key this question, Marguerite links to a Slate article that thread. goes into this. Andrew Wales wonders “if we’re almost at a time when there’s an almost constant barrage of Marguerite Smith wrote that the third thread would fresh Star Wars content. If we get to that point, will be “there will be the path of Din Djarin himself and it be too much? Of course I don’t know, but wow, it’s how he will be drawn into both of the other two”; going to be fun finding out.” We can’t answer these Collin Wilcox and Andrew Wales both expect to see questions in this issue, but if you have thoughts please more bounty hunting. Paul Finley expects that “they’ll write us and let us know! keep using Luke sparingly, both to heighten his spe- cialness, and also to keep the cost down”, and also Thanks to those that contributed to this article: Victor speculated on whether the show might “connect back D’Agostino II (Culver City, California, USA); Paul Fin- to the ending of Rebels…discovering ’s ley (Mesa, Arizona, USA); Alex Heltzer (Chicago, Illinois, fate.” Finally, Andrew Wales says “I don’t think we’re USA); Jennifer Kloenne (Phoenix, Arizona, USA); Michelle done with crossovers either. Expect cameos from Mendes Vazquez (Scottsdale, Arizona, USA); Tony Park- Chewbacca, Jar Jar, and Ewoks. You read it here first.” er (Portland, Oregon, USA); Marguerite Smith (Dublin, Ireland); Andrew Wales (Maidenhead, UK); Linda Wales What cool merchandise or (Sheffield, UK); Collin Wilcox (Phoenix, Arizona, USA). crafting have you seen?

According to our commentators, Grogu appears on or manifests in T-shirts, pyjamas, wrapping paper, action figures, diapers, talking dolls, soft toys, blankets, 33 The Mandalorian by Jacq Monahan

The Mandalorian has a name. It is Din Djarin. Yet he is The Mandalorian series takes place after the events never called anything but Mandalorian or the abbre- of Return of the Jedi, which in turn takes place after viated: Mando. His birthplace and armor define him. Empire Strikes Back, which is when the nearly 900- year-old Yoda meets and mentors . The Child that is in his care has a name, but it is not to be discovered until Season 2, Episode 5. However, an In the present-day The Mandalorian series, Yoda would unfortunate offshoot of this is that many viewers were be a Force ghost, hovering perhaps back in a swamp left to their own imagination to name the Child. This somewhere on , spouting iconic wisdom like, led to the grave misnomer of…Baby Yoda (gasp)! “Do. Or do not. There is no try.” Or “ When gone am I, the last of the Jedi will you be.” Okay, to be fair, Yoda “That is NOT Baby Yoda!” I interject, whether in said that last statement just once, and on his deathbed, written word or in slightly shrieky know-it-all procla- another reason that The Child CAN’T POSSIBLY BE mation. No one seems to listen. I down another Darth Baby Yoda. He is not yet verbal, likes shiny orbs, and Collins (vodka, lemon juice, simple syrup, club soda, craves tadpole embryo. Good Lord, people, what more straw to make Darth Vader noises). proof do you need?!

I somewhat annoyingly correct people who swoon over Baby Yoda that he is a baby Yoda species, as yet unnamed (the species, not The Child). The fight goes on, mitigated sightly by The Child (finally) divulging telepathically the name Grogu to Jedi Ahsoka Tano on the forest planet Corvus.

Rant over, point made. I haven’t convinced anyone, I know, but it feels good to make a case. My other (non-Star Wars) crusade is to stop the notion that Prince Harry is James Hewitt’s son. James Hewitt did not meet Diana until Harry was two years old. End of story. Prince Harry is a Windsor. The Child’s name is Grogu.

That being said, the first season ofThe Mandalorianwas an enjoyable, zig-zagging quest, taking the viewer from point A to point…of no return, it seemed. Our “Mando” Din is intercepted, attacked, and betrayed during his assignment. The whispering Werner Herzog is full of gravitas and faux goodwill. The devel- opment of The Child’s considerable power, combined with visits to familiar territories, characters, and even space vehicles (Tatooine, Mynocks, X-Wing Fighters) make the series both iconic and brand new. You recognize the neighborhood, but you’re unsure which house will burst into flames, hold a wild party, or need law enforcement called onto the scene. The second season continues the Mandalorian’s quest Bo-Katan Fryze, and the aforementioned Jedi Ahsoka to deliver The Child, continuing the detours and Tano redirect the male gaze into combat instead of interceptions that stymie The Child’s deliverance. cleavage. Refreshing, indeed. Everyone wants something from Din, whether it’s protection, assistance with a dangerous task, or The In order for there to be a Season 3, Grogu must fall out Child itself. There are Jawas, , Mon of Jedi hands once more. He’s not going away, folks, Calamari, and the appearance of Boba Fett. There’s a being the biggest merchandising draw of them all. I carnivorous sand dragon. We get to see Pablo Pascal’s predict that he will summon Din with his ever-in- face once more. The poor guy is masked 99% of the creasing Force-sensitive mind, and somehow the two time, and it’s good to have proof that the actor actually embark on yet another multi-planet quest that has inhabits his Beskar fortress. Note: He’s also the villain them taking the most circuitous, blaster-laden route in the new Wonder Woman 1984. Fortunately, he’s got back to safety. his impenetrable suit to hide behind in the aftermath. (Yes, I’ve seen it, and that’s all I’ll say.) Grogu’s increasing skills will supply the surprises, and Din, the Mandalorian will find another reason to take I do appreciate a conflicted Mandalorian. Din begins off his mask. There will be guest stars galore, and the as a humorless, one-Way bounty hunter, until his best episodes will be helmed by Jon Favreau and Dave little green cargo proves that something can pierce his Filoni. armor: a surprising, protective devotion to The Child. Perhaps not so much a humanizing effect as much as I would love to see both Yoda and Grogu meet in the a relatable one. third season, although I do not expect that it will clear up anything to the timeline-challenged viewers who I also appreciate the strong female characters popu- want to immortalize the Jedi master with a “Baby” in lating the galaxy. New Republic Marshal Cara Dune, front of his name. Sigh. assassin/mercenary Fennec Shand, Mandalorian

35 LEGO Razor Crest Build by James Bacon

I have not built a LEGO set from scratch for a while. Bags of LEGO fall out of the box, and an instruction Although I consider myself a fan—having six LEGO tome! Over 200 pages of instructions, in a booklet that sets in the living room—it feels like a couple of years is smaller than I expected, but thicker. The bags are since I last built a set. Even then it was a Millennium numbered and the instructions explain that one does Falcon, from a few years previous, that my pal Stef got the bags one number at a time. This is thought through for Emma. well. There is also an image of a brick separator, but it is St Stephen’s Day, and I shall not be venturing out… I do love Star Wars LEGO, and remember vividly but then—amongst the bricks—is such a separator! It buying the X-Wing and Millennium Falcon in 1999 proves to be the tool of the day, Emma being espe- and loving them a lot. It’s amazing to see how many cially impressed with it. versions and editions of these popular fictional craft now exist, including a Christmas one! As it is, I was There are six phases to the build. To be honest, Phases dead keen on the Razor Crest and so it was arranged 2 and 3 really put shape to it, but what is most impres- as a Christmas gift. sive is the use of LEGO Technic bricks and pins and how they added such structural integrity. This is a dou- The box is big, and notably heavy; there feels like a lot ble-deck model with wings; the way pins go through of LEGO in here. The end flaps are sealed with tape, three bricks, and how they are so cleverly worked, was allowing one access; for a moment I wondered if it amazing to see. would flip open like LEGO boxes once did, but no: this is so that one can reseal the box in a cereal box With each phase, one gets some mini-figures. Din has style of way. a black head with no markings, a bit like stormtroop- ers once were, I think. Indeed—upon checking—t­ he part is 3626b Black Minifigure Head (Plain), and has 36 37 been issued with 57 minifigures, including Darth The Child, Baby Yoda, or Grogu (depending on what Vader, Boba Fett, a load of Clone Troopers, and so you favour) is TINY! He sits on just one stud, and on. We did wonder if this was because initially, we did his head is rubber as opposed to plastic; he looks so not see Din’s face. Anyhow, adding excitement as we amazing. We readjusted the cockpit a bit and placed progress. him right up the front, looking out.

There seemed to be a lot of new bricks: ones that do Overall, this was a fun thing to do. It was a £99 really clever things, like ensure that a join is made­. So, purchase, which is a substantial amount. But as an I conducted an investigation on Bricklink, which lists iconic space ship from the first two seasons of The all 999 parts individually and has a cross reference. Mandalorian, and one that is sentimental, it is also This showed that apart from the minifigures, the now a lovely display item. stickers, and some bricks which are new in what they call bluish-grey, really the only new part is the canopy, Dr Emma J. King (who was most recently studying distinct to the Razor Crest. Space Engineering) said, “It’s quite good fun! We defi- nitely did not have a boring Boxing Day, that’s for sure. These details were, of course, unknown as we built We spent three or four hours building. It was lovely it. We were able to marvel at the parts known as building together and using teamwork. Sometimes in “brackets” and “Black Technic, Pin 3L with Friction order to make it faster I’d flip the instructions mentally Ridges Lengthwise and Stop Bush” and “3 pin con- and build the mirror image parts simultaneously. nectors” all interwoven so strongly to create what It reminded me of doing jigsaw puzzles on Boxing feels like a robust LEGO set. Indeed the outer walls, Day, except this had instructions (so you don’t have despite my expectations, are not structural at all. To to guess) and the bits fit together, which is so much allow extra play, they are hinged; one can open up the better. It’s also a time for mindfulness; one is focused Razor Crest, unload extra torpedoes, extract bounties and concentrated and relaxed, enjoying the odd in carbon, put Din to bed, generally play with it. chocolate biscuit and fully absorbed in the process.”

I have to say, the instructions felt really well done, it In order to give some perspective, I took a photo with was a terrific amount of fun to build it with someone, one of the many styles of Tardis that James Shields finding parts for each other and doing either side, (Master Builder) has made, the Millennium Falcon while Emma was adept at figuring out the opposite and my own British Rail Class 3321. side builds, based on what she saw. It was a really nice 1 Again, made by James Shields. Poignantly, it goes out of regu- and fun afternoon. lar service on 28 December 2020 (today, at the time of writing).

38 Tattooine by Christine Burnham

We visited the Star Wars site on Sunday 22nd April As it is in the middle of a desert, it doesn’t have a 2012 we were staying in Tozeur near Chott El-Jerid. local name as far as I can see. We drove to it in a four- wheel drive vehicle as normal ones aren’t up to it. I The set was built by George Lucas for the first Star remember it being very hot and quite eerie, the heat Wars film, depicting Tatooine. It is now a tourist made many mirages, you can understand how it was attraction in the desert. chosen for the film.

39 Hedge Scout

HedgeScout is a cosplayer who cosplays a range of different characters, and thanks to her for letting us reprint some of her cosplays in this part of the zine!

If you want to follow HedgeScout on social media, you can find her on : https://instagram.com/hedgescout/ and on Facebook: https://facebook.com/HedgeScout/

40 41 The Mandalorian: A Personal Overview by James Bacon

As I watched the Mandalorian, in November 2019, I Who and what Din and a Mandalorian are, are key to felt good. It was an enjoyable first episode drawing on this journey. It continues to be challenged and chal- a classic bar fight scene, then the mention of Life Day, lenged hard. By this stage ‘This is the way’ and ‘I have and the strange way Mando did not like droids, and of spoken’ were phrases everyone was using and the child course the fragility of life, Mando’s pulse rifle, which was a rapid phenomena, with no merchandise. I loved I knew was from the Christmas Special animated that. segment and then the carbonite. All of it just felt right. Of course the moment when many Mandalorians Navaro felt right, and Carl Weathers as Greef Karga arrived to save Din and the Child was great fun. It was spot on. The eye that popped out at Mando was unclear to me if Din aimed correctly, or if it was a when he goes to the imperial stronghold, and then lucky shot when he hit Greef Karga in the Beskar. This Werner Herzog as The Client, who was so well played, rally, though, was later a bitter taste, the repercussions and he made mention of the great purge of Mandalore, stacked in fallen armour. something that I knew of from Season 4 of rebels, when Bo Katan leads an uprising against the Imperial occu- Cara Dune was such a great character, and while Baby pation. This hints that the revolution went badly and, Yoda had endeared himself to so many, and I admit, I given the timeline, it makes sense that we see few Man- love him too, it was moments like when the Loth Cat dalorians in the original trilogy. The Beskar looked growled at him that made me smile wide. The Classic great, as did the ice cream maker, the troopers shoddy Seven Samurai story, of fighters being hired to protect and worn, how I had imagined them post Return of the the village being rampaged, was good fun. While the Jedi. source is clear, the work of Akira Kurosawa has long influenced film and TV and I recalled the ‘Bounty The TV series continued so well, and each episode gave Hunters’ episode of Clone Wars, which was also similar. me more as we followed Din, who was so beholden to a particular set of beliefs, as espoused by the Mandalori- Mos Eisley was so familiar but yet so different, and I ans that, one assumes, saved him and brought him into thought it was astute, how much the world of Star Wars the fold, where nothing is more important to a Man- had changed, and how the empire, which was now gone, dalorian than their helmet and armour. The fact that he had perhaps had a financial impact, and the Cantina forgoes a sigil is indicative of the quandary that is faced was a pale and dull, subdued shadow of its former self. by him personally in his encounter with The Child. I assume the group that had rescued him as a ‘foundling’, These side bar tasks, be it finding the Egg of the Mudhorn from the separatist Battle Droids, had instilled in him or hunting down Fennec Shand, all continually added a that level of social responsibility that sees him sharing little bit, especially relationship and character wise, and his bounty with the other foundlings through the good the bond between Mando and Child was wonderful. offices of The Armourer, who seemed to have a special But as we learned more about Din, other little elements position in the hidden and underground Mandalorian of the story were progressed; were the sound of spurs society. from the person reducing Fennec the same sound as Boba Fett? One could speculate, though I was too This was brilliantly brought to a head the moment when excited to speculate too much. I watched these episodes he faces the moral question of what to do about the repeatedly, and they made me wonder, would we see Child, who saved him, and yet who he willingly handed Omera from Sorgan, who obviously could well handle over to The Client. You could see and feel a personal a blaster, later? fight that he was experiencing and the moment he turns back to fight for the life of this adorable being The gang on Ran’s station, , Burg, Zero and was brilliant. what I thought was a brilliantly played Xi’an all seemed so treacherous and deadly, although the quip from 42 Mayfield about not being a stormtrooper, indicating That Mandalorian is seen as a creed was very interest- he could shoot, was class. The whole time, I was with ing at this stage as we learn so much from Moff Gideon, my heart in my throat, worried that they would find or who was an ISB officer during the purge, and about the steal the child. I was shitting myself. Then when some Mando who was saved by Death Watch Mandalorians, X-wings showed up, with Dave Filoni, and I knew that led by Pre Vizsla. As IG-11 guns down the Stormtroop- must be fellow directors, Deborah Chow and Rick ers, the joy and pleasure of The Child is nice to see, but Famuyiwa. The starship that was preparing to take off unnerving. looked so good, we saw it for a few seconds. The escape, like everything, was convoluted, and so we The Reckoning was a great episode, brining Mando see the Mando get his signet from the Armourer. Even back to Greef, a common enemy. He calls upon Cara, as Cara Dune quips that she does not do the child thing, who educates us, ‘most of them carry a life sentence’ in we see Mando informed that he is as the child’s father, regard to her transgressions in the eyes of the Republic, until the child passed to, as he says, to a race of enemy which was exciting. And the moment when the child sorcerers. And then the loss of IG-11 who confronts looks at Cara tooling up from the hatch, choosing Din with his own sadness at his loss, his sacrifice for the her weapons and then tries to change the course of child, a droid, a thing Mando hated. the Razor Crest, did he want them not to fight? Then bringing in Kuill, identifying Cara as a trooper with The moment Moff Gideon gets himself out of the her own past, and then IG-11 who with patience and crashed Tie Fighter, with the Dark Sabre, I was aston- affirmation reinforced the droid’s development and ished, it was another connection. watched its personality grow, to become one that will protect. Reflecting, for me, what was occurring to Din. Yet what this whole first season had done, and did so ‘Droids are not good or bad, they are reflections of well, was to challenge Din, Cara the loner, Greef Karga those who imprint them’ and then the child starts to self-centred and only interested in himself, and created force choke Cara as she is in an arm wrestle with Din. relationships, loyalties, reflections on what these people That was chilling. I was like, OMG, Deborah Chow you have been and, most importantly, was the wonderful have directed this to perfection, she knew that a Force relationship between the child and Mando. Difficult Choke was so dark, so sinister and yet the force heal, for him as it was, at times, and interesting how naive revealing to all as he saves Greef from the poisonous or unaware Din was of Jedi lore, and the force, it was dragon creatures. wonderful to behold.

The moment that we see The Client slain, and Moff Yet between these two astonishingly brilliant episodes, Gideon take control, was superb with so many troopers, was the release of The Rise of Skywalker. And I was so and Death Troopers. Then we also see an Imperial relieved, so pleased, there was more Star Wars than Troop Transporter turn up, it was pretty serious. That this film. Do not get me wrong, I love Finn and Rey transport, based on the toy from 1979, that I always and General Organa, and Poe and Rose, but the end thought was more of a figure holder than anything, would not be an end of the Saga. There was so little had also been in Rebels and now is in live action. That after Return of the Jedi, a darkness, a quiet, and then began as one of those ‘just off screen’ toys, the first that Droids and Ewoks were so shockingly rubbish, and the had not been on screen, designed by Mark Boudreaux Caravan of catastrophe, it was all so lame. Star Wars from Hasbro. just ebbed away, disappeared, just when I wanted more. It was a lonely time. Rewatching the same three videos, And then, as Moff Gideon appears, and explains that ‘It paused so skilfully when recording to avoid the ads, means more to me than you will ever know’, we see the until the quality was visibly deteriorating. Scout Troopers bearing down on Kuill. He is too busy to answer Mando, and then, he is dead. The it fades So with Deborah Chow’s “The Reckoning” coming just to black and the music is slightly more sombre, more before, with a teaser for the film, and then following brass and heavier, and we lose a great character. the film Taika Waititi’s “Redemption”, and a whole second season to look forward to, I just did not feel the The interaction between the two Scout Troopers, hollowing out that I had somewhat feared with the end not being able to shoot, blaming the gun, and then of what would be known as the Skywalker Saga. punching the child, and the reaction. The radio comms was so entertaining, and it seemed so real, and then the There was the Darksaber. IG-11 droid, brutal in its devotion to the Child. 43 Season 2. I could not wait for it. were in the Doom based first person shooter computer game also from 1995? I was not sure. I had no idea. I Yet I had no idea what was coming. The few Star Wars loved it. commentators I enjoy are loath to speculate too much, a couple do the ‘this is what I hope for’ thing, but what Then to see more time given to Din and the Child, a I had been most impressed with was how so many, good ninety seconds as they fly to Corvus, their inter- including some who had real doubts about The Man- action, building that relationship all the time. dalorian from the time of Celebration, recognised it for what it was - terrific TV and great entertainment. To see the return of Ashoka Tano was amazing. I say return, but for me she was a pre A New Hope, and If Star Wars was a western, well it was a John Ford one, this was a number of years later, so this was no longer and if Mando was a western, well it was Sergio Leone the snips I had first met, in The Clone Wars. Yet was and it felt gritty as we met the armour of Boba Fett. she a Jedi, as far as I know she is not a Jedi, she had walked away from that, but her appearance led to so The whole element of Boba Fett’s armour, and Cobb much, the fight between Ashoka and Din was exactly Vanth from the books, was really interesting. The as I imagined Jedi and Mandalorian would fight . I action between Cobb and Din was positive, and the loved the interesting situation at Calodan and then the significance of the armour in many regards was, as fight with Elsbeth played by Diana Lee Inosanto, who’s the Mando realised, that actually, in many ways, Cobb martial arts skills really showed through, and then was deserving of the armour. I thought Frog Lady Lang, played by Michael Biehn, the war weary, battle was brilliant, the poor creature, wondering about her hardened merc, who didn’t know when his luck was missing eggs, and the unmanageability of The Child, done for, was amazing. I was not at all ready for the mixed in with the horror story of the Ice Spiders, which mention of Thrawn. Was he next to show up? looked stunning, and then seeing a Frog Lady meet her mate, and their affection and love, was perfect. Then came ‘The Tragedy’, and the first few minutes gutted me. The chat between Din and The Child, it The moment we see Bo Katan removing her helmet, felt like a parting was coming, it was so poignant. This and played by Katie Sackoff, who played her voice in Bounty Hunter looking on at the child playing with the Rebels. Katie looked so good as this character, and then ball from the control lever, and then calling him Grogu, the compelling and somewhat “what the hell” moment, and enjoying how he looked up, and playing with the where Bo basically schools Din on how there are other ball. Din’s encouragement and then excitement as he ways. That opened up so much that I knew must be uses the force to get the ball. true, but had yet to be said and of course, Bo Katan herself, determined to seek the freedom of Mandalore. Yet this also showed an aspect of the Child, one that was always prevalent throughout the whole series. The One of my favourite moments was when Din and The Child was seeing and encountering dreadful situations. Child are alone in the Razor Crest and he is trying to get Grogu was displaced, and with a Mob, and even when the child to fix the red and blue wire, and it is hilarious, the Child stopped a Mudhorn killing him, Din took as he explains so clearly and still the child gets electro- him and handed him over for scientific testing to clone cuted. As he talks, he still hides his face from the child, scientists working for Imperial Revenants. Ambushes, as he drinks, and then they drink together. violence, killings surround the Child. I thought the moment when Din did a deal for his rocket pack for the The Bacta or Clone , powered by lava, everyone’s child, gave his word, and then killed the bandit, showed favourite power source, scientists of the ilk a duplicitous deal as he broke his word. The look I saw talking about blood transfusions from the Child and a from the child was horror at that death in exchange for high “M-count” and then Black and Red Stormtroop- his rescue. The child often widened its eyes, or, as in the ers. I was speculating hard, so hard. This was fun, but first episode, closed the floating cot, but the horror that also leading somewhere. Now were the Dark Troopers it saw and felt was horrendous. Clones, Robots, or something else. Would they be Dark Empire Dark Troopers from the 1995 comic Dark So as Din explained, in such a heart-wrenching way, Empire II, with Troopers powered by the Dark Side? Or that he has to agree to go with a Jedi, and how he agreed would they be Dark Forces Dark Troopers, Robots that to take Grogu back to his own kind and that was what he needed to do, ending with a ‘you understand right’ - I had to hit pause, I was so sad. Of course when I 44 re-watched it and then they had to ‘travel the last The interaction between Bo, Mando, Boba Fett and stretch with the windows down’ and the Child’s ears Koska Reeves is fascinating, and the fight between Fett fluttering as they jetted towards the seeing stone on the and Reeves fabulous, and the quip by Bo, ‘don’t you Jedi Temple on Tython. mean doner’ brilliant, as another group is formed to take on and rescue the child. The Sound of Slave 1. Fennec and Fett. ‘I don’t want your armour, I want my armour’ was perfect. I love how Cara, Fennac, Bo and Koska shooting their way onto The Mandalorian allows time for good dialogue, for the Light Cruiser is amazing, and then the tension as good exposition weaving in and out of the story. Fett Mando blasts the Dark Troopers out into space. Now smashing the armour with his gaffi stick, was incredi- I had not reckoned that Bo actually needed to fight ble, this was great action, and bits of white plastic flying Gideon to get the Dark Sabre, and the cleverness of everywhere was as good as flying blood. Once in his Gideon is shown, as the Mando holds the Dark Sabre. armour, and armed with his weapons, Fett is brutal in is such an exquisite villain and his his brilliance, but to watch him do so well and then see accent, so clear cut, snapped, and eloquently calm. the Razor Crest blown to smithereens.., crikey, this was not going well and then Dark Troopers. Droids. The flyby of an X-wing, that distinctive sound, well, who flies an X-wing, Luke obviously, but also Leia. I did And so totally unexpected, at least something I had not decide it was Luke, but watched on. ‘One X-wing, never expected, Boba Fett and Fennec Shand would great, we’re saved’ says Cara and I just adored that. now be part of the dirty dozen, the magnificent seven, the rag tag bunch like Josey Wales group, picked up and The GREEN lightsaber, the hooded cloak, the belt, brought along out of loyalty, respect or well debt. the gloved single hand, it all said one thing, the music rising, and Gideon trying to kill himself as Grogu lays a And then we see the real tragedy, Grogu is flinging hand on the CCTV screen showing the utter power and about Storm troopers and then using the force choke, violence of a Jedi at the height of their powers, the face something that instilled fear when Darth Vader used fully obscured as they laid waste to the Dark Troopers it on Admiral Motti and others. This Sith skill uses the and then, before the reveal, the trust between Mando power of the dark side to painfully strangle a victim, and The Child, Mando knowing this is the person for and here we see an innocent child, one who has done Grogu. no harm, using it against its captors, to the pleasure of Moff Gideon. That is truly the tragedy of this episode, Then the music, going from the Mando guitar shifting the child has seen so much death, so much fighting and into strings of the classic John Williams music, the brutality over him, that one wonders by now if he is strings that pull so hard at the heart as the greatest Jedi pained, tortured and even damaged and this is pure of all raises his hood, and then the moment of chance, anger, or defence. that Din says ‘he doesn’t want to go with you’ which really, although Luke said he needed permission, was The Believer, well we see Din make a big compromise, that Din did not want to be parted from him, and so wearing Transport Trooper armour, and then taking Luke assuages and confirms that he will protect him. off his helmet, but what we also see is other layers of armour as Mayfield, who was afraid of being recog- ‘I’ll see you again, I promise’ said Mando, and we see nised by Valen Hess, yet he actually has such a hard Mando’s face as he tells Grogu ‘Don’t be afraid’ and just level of vengeance for Hess and operation Cinder in as the tears want to well up and emotion overcomes, Burnin Konn. Richard Brake played Hess so well, his well a good old tin can astromech droid shows, it is patronising ‘boys’ and drawl was just, well it felt like a a momentary smile, that can not overcome the raw level of condescending that was winding up Mayfield, emotional outpouring as Din and Grogu separate. who was remembering his division, his mates, and their families. Favreau and Filoni said they were fans, and they said it was going to be a good story, and they were as good Then the message from Mando to Moff Gideon, so as their word, and this was only the end of the second threatening, so sinister and yet determined and caring, season. repeating what Moff Gideon had said himself to Mando while on Navaro.

45 Enditorial by James Bacon

With only two seasons done, Mandalorian is without Celebration, was cancelled, and I was so mindful doubt one of my favourite TV series ever, up there of how warm and nice everyone was, and how the now with , BSG, Rebels, Band of fandom, my fandom was caring and good, The World Brothers, Colditz, 1990 and so on. of internet trolls, and various platforms is not one I subscribe to, I spend any online time going to fans When I watched all nine seasons of Game of Thrones who discuss positively what is going on, and don’t in quick succession last year, it was commented on bother with the negativity, it is such a waste of time, that I knew or could read where the story was going, and then meeting real people, then I know this is the I did not realise that, and would make comments or way. I attended my first Star Wars convention 26 years quips, and predict it so well. I could never predict ago, and I met amazing people and in 2019 I met more and I loved watching others try a bit, or do wish ful- and made more friends. filment, and I enjoyed the speculation from positive people, but also loved how favourite commentators I did wonder if Ezra (Rebels) would show up as the would correct themselves. One episode Alex Damon mention of Thrawn would tie into that notion. In from Star Wars Explained was unhappy, and I was many ways this ending leaves lots of questions going like - he’ll come around, and like the best reviewers, forward, and I often harbour that fear that it will and commentators, he was happy to reflect later and be rubbish, Star Wars has had ups.. and downs. My realise, that a given episode had a part to play, and it immediate concern was that Mando was actually all was fitting together. finished and we would be getting the Book of Boba Fett. Part of me worried that - that might be season 3, Who knew that Fett and Fennec would become part of could it be stand alone, it’s unclear, and with the child the rag tag bunch who would rescue Grogu along with safe now with LS where does Mando go. Maybe off Cara and Bo Katan and Koska Reeves. Who knew that with Bo Katan. Fetts Armour wuld show up on Tatooine and Slave 1, and a mention of Thrawn and so many other little All these questions and more, but the end of Season connections, while weaving an incredibly original and 2 was such a wonderfully emotional and beautiful different story, the Story of Din and Grogu, and that parting, it was great, how TV can make one feel so story is not ended yet. touched, was unreal. Many fans found different aspects touching, Luke was huge for many, for me it The Dark Sabre moment in the last episode of Season was Din and Grogu. one was amazing, Gideon was great but this was just, such a thing, and it opened up connecting to the Man- Heart breaking. Damn the brilliance of Filoni and dalorian lore as told in other parts of the Star Wars Fevreau. world. I think the strength of Mando is that there is so much The thing I missed. You know what I really have subtlety, so many references and elements that catch missed, celebrating Mandalorian with other fans in the eye, and so many ways to interpret the scenes, that person. There is nothing like Star Wars Fandom, those it gives it a vibrance and genuineness that other shows fans who gather and dress and cavourt and clamour do not have. I have found many opinions about the at conventions. These guys are amazing. I watched same 30 seconds, and it is noticeable. I like that, a lot, on in 2019 and watched a Vadar and Stormtroopers and I also like the fans who reflect and consider. There in the deepest wilds of Hampshire, helping to raise is so much in the TV series, and luckily, I can also say money for a 5 year old with a tumour in his skull, and to great friends, who are not Star Wars Fans, that this I bet they would have chatted about Mando now, their is worth a watch. kindness amazing.

46 I am exceptionally grateful to all our contributors, I am hopeful for 2021. More fanzines, as we look to 2020 has been a hard year for many, and in many ways King Arthur, Tim Powers, Craft during Covid and an utterly dreadful year, and the losses and suffering the American War in Vietnam. Hopefully. I hope. We incredibly difficult. hope.

Work has been busy and good for me, my weekly I am especially looking forward to seeing fans, will Covid Tests all negative, and there has been success we have conventions and when will they be, I do not against the challenge and I have helped steward know, but I do miss them and I look forward to more trainee train drivers into the career theu aspire to. It Mando, more Star Wars and more great things that is amazing having one of the bes Jobs in the world, people enjoy. We need enjoyment. being a Train Driver, and then being able to instruct, train and help others become that too.

So I am very grateful to our con- tributors. We, the editors of this issue had a whole different plan, a Post ROTJ issue, that might overlap with The Mandalorian, but this year, we have seen so many schedules upset, and as Mando came to an end, I just felt that people had something to say, something to share, and we pivoted hard to a Mando issue, and that was about a week ago. Madness.

And yet, we have so much, Autun with the cover, so many artists coming forward and allowing us to use their work, and so many fans happy to write and share their views, and Gary Lyod sending me his article at 2am and all under a fabulous pressure. I am now twenty four minutes over due with this for instance!

And everyone has been brilliant, so to all our contributors to this issue and all our contributors and brilliant Co-editors this year, thanks for your under- standing and thank you for your patience, we love your excite- ment and joy and appreciate you time and efforts, and love hearing what you have to say.

47 Image Credits

Cover: Autun Pursur 2–3: Star field by aajohan on DeviantArt: http:// aajohan.deviantart.com/art/Stars-86894028 5: Photo by Alissa McKersie 6–7: The Mandalorian and The Child by Col Art 9: The Mandlorian by Patrick Goddard 10–11: Photos by Anne, Brian and Rosie Gray 12: Baby Yoda by AlonsoEspinoza on DeviantArt: https://www.deviantart.com/alonsoespinoza/art/ Baby-Yoda-828791328 13: Boba Fett by Ryan Brown 15: Old Man Luke by KR-Whalen on DeviantArt: https://www.deviantart.com/kr-whalen/art/Old- Man-Luke-571460874 18–19: Star wars the rise of skywalker Rey vs Kylo Ren WW by Flashlyght on DeviantArt: https://www. deviantart.com/flashlyght/art/Star-wars-the-rise- of-skywalker-Rey-vs-Kylo-Ren-WW-828443822 20: Kylo Ren by yvanquinet on DeviantArt: https:// www.deviantart.com/yvanquinet/art/Kylo- Ren-571960621 23–25: Photos by James Bacon 26: Star Wars ISSUE 45 by joewight on DeviantArt: https://www.deviantart.com/joewight/art/Star- Wars-ISSUE-45-449909201 34: Photo by Jacq Monahan 35: Baby Yoda by surgemalivert on DeviantArt: https://www.deviantart.com/sergemalivert/art/ Baby-Yoda-834091614 36–38: Photos by James Bacon 39: Photos by Christine Burnham 40–41: Seaside photos by Simon Crockett, selfies by HedgeScout (Joanne Alexander) 47: Mando by Sara Felix

48